ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electronic Voting

Eric Pickles: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what guidance or advice the Electoral Commission has provided on the use of electronic counting machines following faults with equipment supplied by Data Research Services in Scotland.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has not issued guidance on the use of electronic counting machines. However, after the publication of the Gould report on the May 2007 elections in Scotland, the Electoral Commission published its views on steps that it believes the Government should take before e-counting is used in any further statutory elections.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Advertising

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 452W, on departmental advertising, how much is represented by each of the percentages given.

David Cairns: The figures are:
	
		
			   £ 
			 SO/OAG  
			 1999-2000 26,861 
			 2000-01 270,494 
			 2001-02 186,564 
			 2002-03 10,390 
			   
			 SO (only)  
			 2003-04 Nil 
			 2004-05 Nil 
			 2005-06 Nil 
			 2006-07 17,510

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Leader of the House what visits she made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events she attended at each.

Helen Goodman: Neither my right hon. and learned Friend, the Leader of the House, nor any of her predecessors visited any of the listed venues in a ministerial capacity as Leader of the House between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2007.

Members: Expenses

John Mann: To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members make direct contributions to the Parliamentary Resources Unit from their Incidental Expenses Provision.

Helen Goodman: In financial year 2007-08, 93 Members have made payments to the Parliamentary Resources Unit from their incidental expenses provision. In addition, 34 Members have made such payments from other allowances.

OLYMPICS

London 2012: Pay

John Hayes: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many staff in each salary band are employed in the management of the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: In relation to the Government Olympic Executive (GOE):
	There are currently 63 members of staff working in the GOE, on the management of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
	GOE is the client for the Games on behalf of central Government. Senior staff members of GOE bring significant high-level commercial and financial experience in major, complex construction and infrastructure programmes, and policy delivery, in order to provide effective oversight of this process. Their rates of pay reflect this.
	GOE's Director General has a salary of £220,000 per annum and the salary of the Director of Build and Finance is £180,000 per annum.
	Four senior staff are in the senior civil service pay band 1 (£56,100 to £116,000); and three are in the senior civil service pay band 2 (£81,60.0 to £160,000).
	40 members of GOE staff are in the DCMS pay bands shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Number  Minimum  Maximum 
			 A (Upper) 3 49,918 64,065 
			 A 14 42,770 52,985 
			 B 19 27,560 35,335 
			 C 2 21,242 25,178 
			 D 2 16,796 20,395 
			  Note: Grades A(Upper) to D pay Scales based on August 2007 settlement. 
		
	
	A further 14 people working in GOE are employed through agencies on an interim basis.
	In relation to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA):
	ODA employees are paid individual salaries (often known as "spot rate pay") within a broad pay band structure, which allows for a wide range of jobs to be accommodated within a relatively small number of pay bands. This allows pay to be managed more flexibly in response to rapid organisational change or market-pressure. The basic salary bands of permanent ODA staff, excluding ODA's Chief Executive Officer (up to February 2008) are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Band  Number of staff  Minimum  Maximum 
			 CEO 1 n/a n/a 
			 5 7 129,375 331,200 
			 4 26 62,100 129,375 
			 3 69 41,400 93,150 
			 2 29 31,050 51,750 
			 1 45 20,700 41,400 
		
	
	The ODA's Chief Executive has a salary of £372,600.
	The ODA salary bands reflect the need to recruit and retain the expertise needed to deliver this unique, complex, and time limited challenge. The challenge of the ODA is without precedent and is one of the biggest jobs in the construction industry. Given the fixed deadline and the need for specialist skills in engineering, design, planning, construction, project management and other specialist areas, the ODA has had to recruit expertise most often found in the commercial sector. Rates of pay are therefore reflective of this and comparable with industry levels.
	In relation to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd (LOCOG):
	LOCOG is a private company. It therefore publishes summary information about expenditure on staff salaries in its annual report, which is publicly available from Companies House.
	In relation to the wider Olympic family:
	Within the wider Olympic Family, staff involved in the management of the Games are employed by many other organisations, for example, by other parts of Government, the Greater London Authority (GLA), the London Development Agency (LDA), the British Olympic Association (BOA), and the British Paralympic Association (BPA). Salary information for each organisation can be found in their respective annual reports.

Olympic Games 2012: Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1298W, on Olympic Games 2012: expenditure, 
	(1)  how much each of the approved projects will cost;
	(2)  what the 19 approved projects with expenditure over £20 million are.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 March 2008,  Official Report, column 371W.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics when she plans to publish estimated costs for  (a) the aquatic centre,  (b) the velodrome,  (c) the international broadcast centre/media and press centre and  (d) the athletes village.

Tessa Jowell: We will make an announcement shortly that will include an update on the Aquatics Centre and the Velopark, of which the Velodrome is the main component. The combined public sector budget for the IBC/MPC and athletes village is £492 million (inc. VAT) as announced in December 2007. However, as the negotiations on both projects are continuing and commercially sensitive, it is not yet possible to announce information on costs.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact of instability in the financial markets on provision in the Olympics 2012 budget for  (a) the athletes village and  (b) the international broadcast centre/media and press centre; and what the current estimated budget for each venue is;
	(2)  whether she has had recent discussions with Bovis/Lend Lease on the size of the public sector contribution to the athletes village.

Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and officials from the Government Olympic Executive are meeting regularly with Bovis Lend Lease, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Children Schools and Families as commercial discussions continue.
	The combined public sector budget for the IBC/MPC and the Olympic Village is £492 million (inc. VAT). However, the exact value of the overall public sector contribution will be finalised as these negotiations are closed out over the coming weeks. Negotiations are also still under way with potential developers of the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre. In both cases, as sensitive commercial dialogue continues, the details of any potential impact of the current economic situation, or the project costs cannot yet be announced.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics when she plans to start publishing  (a) monthly cashflow and  (b) quarterly financial updates for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Tessa Jowell: Cross-party support and proper scrutiny on the progress we are making on the Olympics is critical to the success of the games. To maintain this and to provide transparency on the games, we will publish a progress and financial report every six months—the first was published on 23 January 2008 and the next is due in June 2008. In addition I have put in place arrangements so that the hon. Member and other Opposition spokesmen may receive regular briefings on Olympic progress, including costs and cash flows. These will continue.
	The Olympic Board receives monthly reports including cashflows and publication of these would not be appropriate as this could give rise to commercial disadvantages.
	The Government have already made much information available, for example, Chapter 20 of the CSR White Paper published on 9 October 2007 sets out the Government's contribution for the next three years (2008-09 to 2010-11). The balance of the funding requirement will be met, as planned in March 2007, from contributions from the Mayor of London (GLA and IDA); from funding already coming in from Olympic lottery games; from the funds to be transferred from the National Lottery Distribution Fund; and from funds from the Sports Lottery Distributor.
	Further details of ODA's annual cash flows will be set out in future business plan summaries, which will be published in the coming weeks.

Olympic Games 2012: Ministerial Responsibility

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what Ministerial responsibility she has to ensure the continuation of the informal cross-party agreement for co-operation over the Olympic Games.

Tessa Jowell: Cross-party support for the Olympics is critical to the success of the games. So I have put in place arrangements for quarterly briefings on our progress and finances for opposition spokesmen (both in this House and in the other place) and for the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. I have also committed to provide an Olympics Annual Report to Parliament (the first of which was published in January), supplemented by a six-monthly update.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Cars: Hire Services

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much was spent on  (a) car hire and  (b) taxis in each year since 1997; and whether specifications have been set out in respect of the type of cars to be hired.

Nick Harvey: The main uses of car hire and taxis are for late night staff transport and use of the government car service. Figures are only readily available from 2003.
	
		
			   Late  n ight  t ransport (£)  Government  c ar  s ervice (£) 
			 2003-04 215,204 40,143 
			 2004-05 272,377 31,331 
			 2005-06 293,847 31,946 
			 2006-07 390,027 27,841 
			 (to date) 404,399 31,195 
		
	
	Both black cabs and contracted car hire services are used for these services. The type of vehicle provided will depend on the number of passengers to be carried.

Departmental Expenses

John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the 24-hour overnight allowance is for staff employed by the House of Commons Commission when working outside London but in the UK.

Nick Harvey: Staff away from home on official business may claim for the cost of meals and accommodation. For overnight stays the cost of bed and breakfast is reimbursed directly. In addition an allowance is paid to cover main meals; for areas outside inner London this is £18.65 in any 24 hour period. A personal or incidental expenses allowance of £5 per night is also payable.

Drinking Water

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 1311-2W, on drinking water, if the Commission will make it its policy to provide tap water in addition to bottled water in committee and meeting rooms while the re-examination of policy on the provision of drinking water is underway.

Nick Harvey: The standing recommendation from the Administration Committee is for the provision of bottled water in committee rooms. The Department of Facilities is re-examining the issue and no further action will be taken until the Administration Committee has had the opportunity to consider the matter.

Internet: Biofuels

Mark Hoban: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many people accessed the parliamentary podcast pilot on biofuels in the 24 hours following its launch.

Nick Harvey: In the first 24 hours after the parliamentary podcast pilot launch the biofuels recording was accessed by four users who subscribed to the podcast Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed. In the first week of launch 452 visitors viewed the biofuels pages on the parliamentary website.

Mineral Waters

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what proportion of glass from bottles containing drinking water on sale in parliamentary canteens or provided by House departments for hon. Members' use was  (a) recycled and  (b) sent for disposal in landfill sites in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the estimated cost was to departments of the House of providing bottles of water in each year since 1997.

Nick Harvey: All glass from bottles containing drinking water on sale in parliamentary canteens or provided by House departments for hon. Members' use is recycled.
	The cost of bottled water provided by the House of Commons in each of the last five financial years is estimated in the table. Costs are not available prior to 2002. Catering and Retail Services sells water to its customers at a profit, and so the cost of water purchased for sale in the catering outlets (item  (a) in the following table) is not a cost to the House.
	
		
			  Cost of bottled water purchases  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  (a) Catering and Retail Services (1)58,832 (1)55,895 47,820 53,188 49,271 
			  (b) Committee Rooms n/a n/a 8,357 6,656 8,340 
			  (c) Office supplies(1) n/a 5,165 7,449 6,095 6,988 
			 Estimated total cost of purchases 58,832 61,060 63,626 65,939 64,599 
			 (1) incl. committee rooms (2 )estimated

Palace of Westminster: Screening

Peter Bone: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what representations the Commission has received on the provision of a mobile screening unit for bowel cancer in the Palace of Westminster.

Nick Harvey: There have been no representations to the Commission about the provision of a mobile screening unit for bowel cancer in the Palace of Westminster. However, a bowel cancer awareness day was held in the Attlee suite, Portcullis House on 20 April 2006. The joint parliamentary medical panel has taken the view that it is impractical for mobile screening to be carried out on the parliamentary estate.

Palace of Westminster: Waste Management

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much waste was sent to landfill by the House in each year since 1997.

Nick Harvey: No waste from the parliamentary estate has been sent to landfill since 1998. A proportion of the waste is reused and recycled and what cannot be reused or recycled is sent to a power plant where it is burnt to generate electricity. Of the waste from the power plant; the larger clinker waste is used in road base construction and the finer dust waste is sent to landfill. During 2006-07, the parliamentary estate sent 1,173 tonnes of waste to the power plant. This waste is mixed with waste from other buildings and it is not possible to determine how much dust waste results from the burning of the parliamentary waste and consequently, how much dust waste is sent to landfill.

Rackspace

Greg Hands: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the value was of each contract awarded to Rackspace by the House of Commons Commission in each of the last nine years.

Nick Harvey: There is no record of Rackspace having any contract with the House.

WALES

Brofiscin Quarry: Hazardous Substances

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his Answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 819W, on Brofiscin Quarry: hazardous substances, what the timetable was of action taken by the Environment Agency since 2001 when they have been involved in site investigations at Brofiscin Quarry; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: I am informed by the Environment Agency Wales that under part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Brofiscin Quarry was designated as a 'special site' by Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough council in March 2005. At that time the Environment Agency began its investigations of Brofiscin Quarry pursuant to the provisions of the Act. Those investigations are currently ongoing.
	The Environment Agency is currently concluding a remedial options appraisal in accordance with the relevant legislation and statutory guidance. The Environment Agency has liaised with local residents and other interested parties throughout its investigations.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales at how many events held by his Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment his Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

Paul Murphy: In the last three years my Department has held 15 events where wine has been served, none of the wine was fairtrade.
	When catering for future functions in London and Cardiff, where possible and consistent with value for money, the purchase of fairtrade wine and locally sourced wine will be considered.

Suicide: Young People

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will discuss the co-ordination of support services for suicide prevention amongst young people with the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: I regularly discuss a range of issues with the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government including the co-ordination of support services for suicide prevention among young people in Wales.
	The Welsh Assembly Government and local services in Bridgend are working in full collaboration with the police service to analyse the recent tragic deaths within the Bridgend county borough. This analysis is being used to inform the development of an all Wales Suicide Prevention Action Plan.
	It is of enormous encouragement that the many voluntary and support organisations, the health and social care agencies and the police, which all do tremendous work in the management of vulnerable children, young people and adults, continue to work in close collaboration.
	By continuing this work, and through improvements to interagency joint arrangements, training and awareness raising across agencies, we hope to reduce occurrence of these tragic incidences.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Genetics: Databases

David Davis: To ask the Solicitor-General how many individuals matched to UK records from the Dutch disk of DNA profiles sent to the Crown Prosecution Service are  (a) the subject of extradition requests by the Dutch authorities and  (b) subject to a UK arrest warrant.

Vera Baird: As part of an initiative to exchange data between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, 2,159 DNA profiles from crime scenes in the Netherlands have been searched against the UK National DNA Database. The DNA matches identified as a result are now the subject of ongoing police investigations, both here and in the Netherlands.
	Data arising as a result of this continuing police operation are liable to change subject to developments both here and in the Netherlands, and no information can be released which might in any way jeopardise ongoing investigations.

Racially Aggravated Offences: Prosecutions

John Mann: To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions for racial hatred offences there were in each of the last 10 years.

Vera Baird: The Attorney-General's consent is required for prosecutions under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 (relating to offences concerning conduct intended to, or likely to, stir up racial hatred). The Attorney- General's Office (AGO) keeps statistics in relation to prosecutions where such consent has been granted. The following table captures the relevant data for 1998 to 2008 inclusive. The statistics are recorded by reference to the year in which each case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police, rather than the year in which an offender was charged or convicted.
	
		
			   Prosecutions 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 5 
			 2000 8 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 8 
			 2004 8 
			 2005 2 
			 2006 3 
			 2007 0 
			 2008 0 
			 Total 44

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Culture: Exports

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what share of the UK's media exports were provided by the  (a) video games,  (b) television and  (c) film industries in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: have been asked to reply.
	The following table shows the value of UK exports of services for the creative industries provided by the  (a) 'software, computer games and electronic publishing'  (b) 'radio and TV' and  (c) 'Video, film and photography' sectors. The share of UK 'media' exports is not available, so the share of all 'creative industries' exports has been provided instead. This share is only shown from 2000 onwards since data for total creative industries exports are not available in earlier years.
	
		
			  Exports of services for selected Creative Industries sectors (value, £ million) 
			   Software, games and electronic publishing  Radio and TV  Video, film and photography  Total 
			   Value  Share (%)  Value  Share (%)  Value  Share (%)  Value  Share (%) 
			 1997 1,400 — 500 — 710 — n/a — 
			 1998 1,700 — 640 — 680 — n/a — 
			 1999 2,300 — 730 — 730 — n/a — 
			 2000 2,500 26 690 7 940 10 9,500 100 
			 2001 3,900 35 910 8 910 8 11,000 100 
			 2002 3,500 31 1,000 9 840 7 11,300 100 
			 2003 3,900 34 1,000 9 810 7 11,600 100 
			 2004 4,700 36 1,300 10 940 7 13,000 100 
			 2005 4,800 33 1,300 9 1,200 8 14,600 100 
			 n/a = not available.   Source:  DCMS Creative Industries Economic Estimates statistical bulletin (Oct 2007) - based primarily on data from International Trade in Services, Office for National Statistics (ONS). 
		
	
	Total creative industries exports include exports of services in the following sectors: 'advertising', 'architecture', 'art and antiques', 'design', 'video, film and photography', 'music and the visual and performing arts', 'publishing', 'software, computer games and electronic publishing' and 'radio and TV'. Exports for the 'crafts' and 'designer fashion' sectors are excluded as consistent data are not available.
	The 'software, computer games and electronic publishing' sector comprises all firms classified in official business data under 'publishing of software', 'other software consultancy and supply' or 'reproduction of computer media' (only 25 per cent. of this class is included). Games development firms likely represent only a small proportion of this sector.
	The 'radio and TV' sector comprises firms classified in official business data under 'radio and television activities'.
	The 'video, film and photography' sector comprises firms classified in official business data under 'reproduction of video recording' (25 per cent. only), 'photographic activities' (25 per cent. only), 'motion picture and video production', 'motion picture and video distribution' or 'motion picture projection'.
	The UK Film Council also produces figures for the value of exports of services specifically by the film industry—as opposed to the wider 'video, film and photography' sector. Also based on ONS data, they estimate that these exports totalled £967million in 2005.

Post Offices: Closures

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for how long the outreach provision provided by his Department to the eight post offices in the Cotswolds will be maintained.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how postmasters whose post offices have been closed are reimbursed for the length of their leases; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which post office branches have  (a) closed and  (b) opened in the City of Edinburgh local authority area since 1997.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director, of POL to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many transactions per week, on average, there were across post office counters in York in each of the last three years.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Video Games

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value was of exports by the UK games development sector in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the value of exports specifically by the UK games development sector is not available.
	The value of UK exports of services in the 'software, computer games and electronic publishing' sector is published in the annual DCMS Creative Industries Economic Estimates statistical bulletin. Games development firms likely represent only a small proportion of this sector.
	
		
			  Exports of services for the software, computer games and electronic publishing sector 
			   (£ million) 
			 1997 1,400 
			 1998 1,700 
			 1999 2,300 
			 2000 2,500 
			 2001 3,900 
			 2002 3,500 
			 2003 3,900 
			 2004 4,700 
			 2005 4,800 
			  Source:  DCMS Creative Industries Economic Estimates statistical bulletin (October 2007)—based on data from 'International Trade in Services', Office for National Statistics. 
		
	
	The software, computer games and electronic publishing sector comprises all firms classified in official business data under 'publishing of software', 'other software consultancy and supply' or 'reproduction of computer media' (only 25 per cent. of this class is included).

Winter Fuel Payments: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people received the winter fuel payment in  (a) Barnsley, East and Mexborough constituency,  (b) Barnsley Metropolitan Borough and  (c) Doncaster Metropolitan Borough in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The information is in the following table. We expect the numbers to be similar for winter 2007-08.
	
		
			  Winter fuel payments made in winter 2006-07 
			   Number 
			 Barnsley, East and Mexborough constituency 17,870 
			 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough 46,010 
			 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough 59,520 
			  Notes:  1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.  2. Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.   Source:  Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

TRANSPORT

A14: Kettering

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the Highway Agency intends to restrict local vehicular access to the A14 around Kettering.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency is working with Northamptonshire county council to identify a package of transport measures to minimise and manage traffic generated by the proposed growth in North Northamptonshire and ensure the smooth running of the existing A14 around Kettering.
	This includes investigating a number of new and proven techniques which could be introduced in the short to medium term and which are designed to make the most of the existing A14 around Kettering. One such technique, involving installing traffic signals on slip roads, is designed to regulate and improve flow on the A14. A decision on its implementation would follow the results of the current feasibility study.

Aviation: Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information she has obtained as part of her assessment of the potential for high-speed rail on the number and percentage of passengers switching from air to rail services where high-speed rail lines have been opened in France.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport has made no specific assessment of the shift from air to rail services where high-speed rail lines have been opened in France.

Bus Services: Concessions

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which  (a) local authorities,  (b) local transport authorities and  (c) passenger transport executives have made representations to her Department on the national concessionary bus fares scheme in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The Department for Transport has received representations on the new England-wide statutory minimum concession to be introduced on 1 April from all tiers of local government, including the Local Government Association, London Councils, Transport for London and the Passenger Transport Executive Group, as well as individual authorities.
	Over 200 responses were received to the Department's consultation last autumn on the formula distribution for the special grant for the new England-wide concession from 1 April. A list of those who responded was included in the Department's Consultation Response Document: Local Authority special grant funding for the 2008 national bus concession in England, available on its website.

Bus Services: Concessions

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether local authorities will receive changes to their special grant for concessionary bus fares following representations made since the publication of the draft funding settlement; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The Local Government Finance Special Grant Report (No. 129) was laid before the House on 19 February 2008 and approved following a parliamentary debate on 25 March. The grant distribution reflects the likely burden of cost and is designed to direct funding towards visitor "hotspots" such as coastal towns, urban areas and others likely to experience an increase in concessionary bus journeys as a result of the new England-wide concession from 1 April.

Bus Services: Concessions

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of her Department's recent advertising campaign on the change in rules for the national concessionary bus fare scheme.

Rosie Winterton: The total communications budget for our concessionary fares publicity campaign is £1.3 million, of which media spend on advertising is £809,600 covering press, magazine and outdoor poster advertising.

Bus Services: Concessions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reasons were for giving the responsibility for and finance of national concessionary bus fare schemes to district councils; and whether she plans to alter this arrangement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 27 March 2008
	District councils have been responsible for the statutory concessionary travel scheme since its introduction in 2000. This is consistent with their historic role in licensing bus services prior to deregulation, and their work in other areas such as taxi licensing.
	The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 contains powers allowing Ministers, subject to future consultation and parliamentary scrutiny, to make secondary legislation which would transfer concessionary travel responsibilities from lower tier (district councils) to higher tier authorities (county councils). It would not have been prudent to make such a radical change less than a year before the introduction of the new England-wide statutory minimum concession from 1 April, particularly when those with existing responsibility for concessionary travel were in the process of issuing over six million new passes to a tight timetable.

Bus Services: Concessions

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make an estimate of the annual cost of providing a free bus pass for pensioners which could be used for travel across local authority boundaries on a national basis.

Rosie Winterton: Our assessment of the likely cost impact of the new England-wide concession is based on generous assumptions about pass take-up, fares and increased patronage. On this basis, for 2008-09 we have allocated an additional £212 million (rising to £217 million and £223 million in the following years) to travel concession authorities in England from 1 April, enough to fund around an extra 200 million bus journeys in local authorities across England.
	Our current focus remains on ensuring the successful introduction of the new England-wide concession on 1 April and at this stage we have made no detailed assessment of the cost of introducing mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes between Scotland, Wales and England.

Bus Services: Finance

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Government contributed to the cost of running bus services in York from  (a) 1987 to 1997 and  (b) 1997 to 2007.

Rosie Winterton: Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) was introduced in 1998 to help local authorities provide support for bus services. The City of York has to date received a total of £1,046,716 in RBSG from the Department.
	York has also received a total of £415,000 in support under the Rural Bus Challenge competition, also introduced in 1998.
	Local authorities may also use funding from the Government's unhypothecated Revenue Support Grant to support local bus services.
	Bus companies operating in and around York also receive Bus Service Operators Grant from the Department. This is a payment equivalent to about 80 per cent. of the fuel duty operators incur in providing local bus services. However, as BSOG is a payment direct to operators, statistics are not kept of payments by local authority or geographical area.

Bus Services: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of passengers carried by buses in York in each year since 1987.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not available from the DFT annual survey of bus operators. Local authority estimates of bus passenger journeys are published by the Audit Commission.

Cycleways

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new cycle lanes and tracks have been created in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Rosie Winterton: Data are available only from 2001-02. We do not have comprehensive audited returns which give reliable figures at local authority level. In addition, some authorities are no longer required to submit returns.

Cycling: Finance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what sources of funding are made available by  (a) her Department and  (b) organisations which report to her Department for the development of national cycle routes.

Rosie Winterton: The Department announced in January a £140 million investment for its cycling delivery body, Cycling England, over the next three years to complement local authority spend. This has a number of programmes including new routes to around 500 schools, building on the successful Links to Schools programme. In addition, £18.4 million of Government funding since 2005 has provided 295 Links to Schools which link over 600 schools and form part of the National Cycle Network (NCN).
	£47 million has also been allocated on extending the Cycling Demonstration Towns (CDT) programme to up to 17 towns including a large city. The outcome of the bidding process for new CDTs is due to be announced later this year. Until the new CDTs and six existing ones develop their future programmes, it is not possible to say what the precise funding will be for increasing the cycle network in the CDTs.
	Local authorities provide on and off road cycle facilities such as cycle tracks and cycle lanes, using their Local Transport Plan (LTP) Integrated Transport Block grant from the DfT (which covers schemes costing less than £5 million and includes such cycle schemes) plus their own funding, the DfT Integrated Transport Block grant to local authorities is £372 million for 2008-09. The Department has encouraged local authorities to develop a cycling strategy as part of the LTP process from 2006 to 2011. It is for local authorities to determine the development of the local cycle networks as part of that strategy. Sustrans, who have developed the NGN, then work with local authorities to link the local networks to it. The Department is also providing £2.5 billion in 2008-09 to the Mayor of London through a Total Transport grant. The Mayor is responsible for determining how much is spent on cycling and the development of cycle networks in London.
	The above covers England only as that is the Department's responsibility. Responsibility for cycling in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the administrations there.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on speech coaching and related consultancy for Ministers in her Department in each of the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: For the last 12 months there has been no expenditure in relation to the above.

Departmental Working Hours

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hours  (a) in total and  (b) on average per employee were worked by civil servants in her Department in the last year for which records are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Contracted hours are managed locally in the Department with no single system used to centrally monitor hours worked. As such, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

East Coast Railway Line: Standards

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the level of punctuality of trains on the East Coast Main Line  (a) has been since National Express started running the service and  (b) was in the last year of the Great North Eastern Railway's operation of the franchise.

Tom Harris: National Express East Coast (NXEC) started its services on 9 December 2007. NXEC's current Moving Annual Average Public Performance Measure for punctuality is 82.5 per cent. and the target is 84.7 per cent. (as of 1 March 2008).
	As at 8 December 2007 (which was GNER's last day of operation on the East Coast Main Line) the Moving Annual Average Public Performance Measure for punctuality was 81.7 per cent. The target was 83.5 per cent.

Government Offices for the Regions

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of her Department's programme budgets were administered by the Government Offices for the Regions in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 18 March 2008
	The Government offices do not currently, nor have in the last five years, directly administered any programmes on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Great Western Trains

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates  (a) she and  (b) the Minister with responsibility for railways the hon. Member for Glasgow, South (Mr. Harris) met representatives of First Great Western in the last 12 months.

Tom Harris: The Secretary of State for Transport and the Under-Secretary, have met representatives of First Great Western on the following dates in the last 12 months:
	 Secretary of State
	19 July 2007
	25 February 2008
	 Parliamentary Under-Secretary
	24 May 2007
	26 June 2007
	19 July 2007
	23 October 2007
	30 January 2008

Local Transport Bill: Welsh Assembly Government

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether clauses 115 and 116 in the Local Transport Bill were included at the request of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are committed to enhancing the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales where appropriate. Clauses 115 and 116 were included in the Local Transport Bill at the specific request of Ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government.

Motorcycles: Bus Lanes

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will amend her Department's guidance to local authorities to support a policy of allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: In line with actions set out in the Government's Motorcycling Strategy, my Department has already amended guidance to local authorities on the use of bus lanes by motorcycles.
	In February 2007 the Department for Transport published Traffic Advisory Leaflet 2/07: The Use of Bus Lanes by Motorcycles. This makes clear to local highway authorities that it is for them to decide whether or not to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes and encourages them to make an objective assessment of the issue.
	The new guidance revises previous advice in Local Transport Note 1/97: Keeping Buses Moving, which recommended that motorcycles should not normally be permitted to use bus lanes.

Motorcycles: Bus Lanes

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the evidential basis is for the recommendations in her Department's Local Transport Note 1/97 against allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes.

Rosie Winterton: The recommendation in Local Transport Note 1/97 includes an explanation that there was insufficient evidence at the time of publishing about the risk to pedestrians if motorcycles were allowed to use bus lanes as a default position.
	However based on evidence from more recent studies, in February 2007 we issued new guidance in Traffic Advisory Leaflet 2/07, "The Use of Bus Lanes by Motorcycles". This makes clear to local highway authorities that it is for them to decide whether or not to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes and encourages them to make an objective assessment of the situation based on local factors. The new guidance revises our previous advice concerning this issue in LTN 1/97.

Motorcycles: Licensing

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the suitability of the provisions of the second European driving licence directive for motorcycles, with particular reference to the  (a) adequacy and  (b) safety of the swerve and brake test; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The 50 kph avoidance manoeuvre, the controlled stop and an emergency stop at a minimum speed of 50 kph are three separate elements of the off-road manoeuvres element of the practical motorcycle riding test.
	 (a) The avoidance manoeuvre has been developed to simulate another road user pulling out into the path of the rider and therefore better prepare them for dealing with real life hazards. Both braking exercises allow competence to be assessed in handling of the front and rear brake, vision, direction and the position on the motorcycle.
	 (b) These exercises will take place in a secure environment off the public road. Candidates who display unsafe levels of control will not be allowed to continue with the on-road element of the test.
	The manoeuvres exercise being introduced by the Driving Standards Agency is fully compliant with the European directive.

Parking: Disabled

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to reduce fraudulent use of disabled parking.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 25 March 2008
	New regulations introduced on 15 October last year have changed the design of the Blue Badge to include a tamper proof hologram and a new gender specific number to aid parking enforcement. In addition, I recently announced the pilots of a tamper proof laminate to further prevent badge fraud.
	In January 2008 I published new local authority guidance and launched a £0.5 million fund to promote improved enforcement at a local level. The Department for Transport is also consulting on proposals to improve enforcement of the Blue Badge scheme. This may include the creation of a secure machine readable badge and national data sharing.

Parking: Disabled

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to encourage businesses to provide sufficient disabled parking.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The Department has published advice on provision and design of parking for disabled car users in Traffic Advisory Leaflet 5/95 "Parking for Disabled People" and "Inclusive Mobility—A Guide to Best Practice on Access to Pedestrian and Transport Infrastructure".
	This includes specific advice on employment premises, shopping areas, leisure and recreational facilities.

Railway Services: Kettering

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains run from Kettering to Leicester per week day; and how many are planned do so from December 2008.

Tom Harris: Currently there are 42 services per day between Kettering and Leicester. The draft timetable for December 2008 shows 24, though the operator may run more if there is a commercial case for doing so and if paths are available.

Railway Stations

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what platforms of disused stations are still extant on railway lines in service.

Tom Harris: This is an operational matter for Network Rail and the Association of Train Operating Companies. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's Chief Executive at the following address for a response to his question.
	Iain Coucher
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	40 Melton Street
	London NW1 2EE

Railways

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the criteria are for deciding whether a train service should be non-stop between two specified stations.

Tom Harris: Decisions on calling patterns are based on a number of considerations. These include existing and future demand at the stations concerned; the amount of on-train capacity available to accommodate boarding passengers; the effect of stopping on other passengers' travel times; the impact of the call on resources such as line capacity and overall train fleet size; and the availability of alternative services.

Railways: Franchises

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons her Department does not allow train operating companies to acquire vehicles from rolling stock companies without her Department's agreement in cases where such acquisitions take place within the terms of an existing franchise.

Tom Harris: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given today (UIN 190552).

Railways: Standards

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to reduce overcrowding and improve punctuality for rail commuters in Enfield.

Tom Harris: Improving rail performance is a key objective for the Department and joint action plans are in place between Network Rail and National Express East Anglia (NXEA) to address performance issues. The most recent published Public Performance Measure (PPM) figures are those for the period from 6 January to 2 February 2008 when NXEA's PPM was 89.1 per cent. The NXEA moving annual average was 90.1 per cent. These compare to whole industry figures of 89.6 per cent and 89.6 per cent. respectively.
	The Department's rolling stock plan, published on 30 January, showed NXEA receiving an extra 188 (new and cascaded) carriages. The new carriages will be used on the London to Stansted airport route, in turn releasing carriages to enhance capacity on other services.

Rapid Transit Systems

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what weight she gives to the likely effect on  (a) car journeys and congestion,  (b) value added tax receipts,  (c) fuel duty receipts,  (d) carbon emissions,  (e) air pollution and  (f) reliability of journey times when assessing the costs and benefits of a light rail scheme.

Tom Harris: The Department uses a framework called the New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) to undertake cost-benefit analysis of schemes relating to all transport modes including light rail. The Department aims to consider all impacts of transport schemes, including those listed, when undertaking cost-benefit analysis. No definitive set of weights are applied within this framework, with the contribution of each of these factors varying according to the specific circumstances of the scheme. For example, the significance of congestion relief to the assessment of schemes in areas experiencing high delays will tend to be greater than schemes in areas experiencing few delays.
	To ensure consistency across schemes, where possible, impacts are converted into monetary equivalents using a common set of values. This allows a variety of impacts to be aggregated and compared. In practise, the weight attached will depend on the size of impact that a scheme will have on each factor and the value attached to these impacts. Where available, standard values are used to value impacts, e.g. carbon emissions are valued at the standard cost of carbon issued by DEFRA.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider suspending the renewable transport fuel obligation until comprehensive certification and assessment schemes are put in place.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have made clear that we will not support any increase in biofuel targets until we are satisfied that the biofuels can be delivered sustainably. That remains our position, and we are negotiating hard to ensure that future EU biofuel targets are underpinned by mandatory sustainability criteria which are as robust and wide-ranging as possible.
	The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Order 2007 implements the RTFO scheme and the Government could not suspend the introduction of the RTFO without amending or repealing the order. The new amending or repealing order would require consultation in accordance with the Energy Act 2004 and would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, with debates in both Houses of Parliament.
	The Government believe that suspending the introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) until such time as mandatory, EU-wide sustainability criteria for biofuels are in place would be counter-productive. The reporting requirements under the RTFO will cause suppliers to develop systems for capturing environmental and sustainability information which will help prepare for the introduction of mandatory standards and inform the development of those standards. In addition, the UK is widely perceived as playing a leading role in developing a sustainability framework for biofuels through the reporting requirements under the RTFO. Abandoning this could marginalise us in EU negotiations, and give other member states greater influence over the direction of the EU's future biofuel policies.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration she has given to the merits of a moratorium on the implementation of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (RTFO) Order 2007 implements the RTFO scheme and the Government could not suspend the introduction of the RTFO without amending or repealing the order. The new amending or repealing order would require consultation in accordance with the Energy Act 2004 and would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, with debates in both Houses of Parliament.
	The Government believe that suspending the introduction of the RTFO until such time as mandatory, EU-wide sustainability criteria for biofuels are in place would be counter-productive. The reporting requirements under the RTFO will cause suppliers to develop systems for capturing environmental and sustainability information which will help prepare for the introduction of mandatory standards and inform the development of those standards. In addition, the UK is widely perceived as playing a leading role in developing a sustainability framework for biofuels through the reporting requirements under the RTFO. Abandoning this could marginalise the UK in EU negotiations, and give other member states greater influence over the direction of the EU's future biofuel policies.

Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation: Crops

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to ensure that the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation will not result in a conflict between the need to grow crops for both food and fuel.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) will have a statutory duty to report annually to Ministers on the effects of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), including the indirect effects such as impacts on food and commodity prices. These reports will inform the development of the Government's longer term biofuel policies.
	The Government have also asked the Renewable Fuels Agency to lead an urgent review of the potential indirect impacts of biofuel production. This will, among other things, consider the risk that biofuel policies will affect international food commodity prices in the period to 2020. The terms of reference for this review are available via the Department for Transport's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/rtfo/

Road Safety Act 2006

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to table orders bringing into force sections 11 and 12 of the Road Safety Act 2006 on financial penalty deposits and the immobilisation of vehicles.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We are working hard to ensure that the provisions are brought into force as soon as practicable—and this is likely to be by spring 2009. Implementation is a key priority for the Department, but there is still quite a lot of operational detail to be sorted out and also a number of detailed statutory instruments have yet to be made.

Road Traffic Control: Birmingham

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2008,  Official Report, column 214W, on motorways: road traffic control, what the  (a) critical path and  (b) key milestones in the schedule are in relation to the scheme around Birmingham.

Tom Harris: Tenders for construction of the Birmingham Box active traffic management scheme phases 1 and 2 were invited on 28 February 2008. We anticipate awarding the contract by September 2008. Works should commence in the autumn and complete by summer 2011. The detailed programme for delivery within this timeframe will be agreed with the successful contractor.

Roads: Lorries

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions  (a) she,  (b) her Ministers and  (c) her officials have had with (i) vehicle satellite navigation manufacturers and (ii) Ordnance Survey on identification of roads inappropriate for heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There have been no recent ministerial level discussions with satellite navigation providers or Ordnance Survey. Officials have had informal discussions with providers on issues including mapping and routeing.
	The Network Management Board, which is facilitated by the Department for Transport, has set up a sub-group to consider the issue of inappropriate routeing resulting from satellite navigation guidance. The sub-group comprises representatives from Ordnance Survey as well as local authorities, and the Highways Agency.
	Any restriction imposed on the use of particular roads is a matter for decision by the relevant local highway authority.

Roads: Tolls

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what international benchmarks she has assessed in relation to road pricing schemes and their impact on congestion.

Rosie Winterton: The Road Pricing Feasibility Study published in July 2004 considered a number of existing charging schemes, working in a range of environments and using various technologies. The Department for Transport continues to monitor progress in road pricing schemes around the world, and in particular in Europe, where new schemes—such as the congestion charge in Stockholm—have been implemented since 2004. The Stockholm scheme in particular has demonstrated that significant reductions in congestion can be achieved by an urban congestion charge.

Roads: Tolls

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on road pricing projects; where the projects are located; and what companies are involved in the projects.

Rosie Winterton: The Government are inviting the private sector to demonstrate how they might run a system of charging for road use according to time of day and route chosen. On 12 March we issued, to eight pre-qualified bidders, the first Invitation to Tender in this two-year Demonstrations Project, for the framework for Road User Service Providers. We expect that this Framework Agreement will be established during June 2008, at which point an announcement: will be made as to which companies have been appointed.
	The location of the Demonstrations activity could be anywhere in England and Wales and will initially depend on where the successful bidders' volunteer road users are located.

Speed Limits

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will bring forward proposals to impose a 20 mph speed limit around schools and in residential areas; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Local traffic authorities are responsible for setting local speed limits and have powers to introduce 20 mph speed limits and 20 mph zones if they believe it appropriate to do so. The Department encourages and supports any local authority wishing to introduce 20 mph speed limits in this way but does not favour a blanket reduction as there are circumstances where a 20 mph speed limit may not necessarily be appropriate.

Speed Limits

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many roads the speed limit has been reduced from 30 mph to 20 mph since the publication of her Department's circular 01/2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: This information is not held by the Department. Local traffic authorities are responsible for setting local speed limits and have powers to introduce 20 mph speed limits and 20 mph zones if they believe it appropriate to do so. They are not required to inform the Department whenever they change a speed limit.
	The Department has recently commissioned a new research project on local road safety policy and practice, and some information about the implementation of 20 mph zones will be collected from local authorities as part of this study.

Speed Limits: Fines

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue was raised in fines imposed as a result of offences detected by speed cameras in each borough in Greater London in each year since 2001.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department only holds information about speed cameras operating under the national safety camera programme and does not hold separate information for each London borough. London joined the programme on 1 April 2002. The audit certificates for the London Safety Camera Partnership for the last five financial years outlined in the table show the fine revenue from fixed penalty tickets for offences detected by speed and red light cameras operating under the then national safety camera programme. The Department does not hold a breakdown of fine revenue split between red light and speed cameras.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2002-03 5,121,060 
			 2003-04 6,497,460 
			 2004-05 8,902,740 
			 2005-06 9,445,820 
			 2006-07 7,567,780

Speed Limits: Greater London

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many 20 mile per hour speed limit zones each London borough has introduced.

Rosie Winterton: Responsibility for introducing 20 mph speed limit zones in London rests with the relevant highway authority, Transport for London (TfL) and the London boroughs respectively. No information on these zones is held centrally.

Taxis: Training

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on the training required of taxi drivers.

Rosie Winterton: We recognise the benefits that improved training for taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers will bring in terms of better quality of service for passengers, and to the drivers themselves in terms of potentially acquiring new business.
	We are providing financial support to GoSkills, the sector skills council for passenger transport, to assist their work in raising awareness of the opportunities for, and benefits of, skills development in the taxi and PHV industry.
	However, local licensing authorities are responsible for taxi and PHV licensing decisions in their respective areas, including whether drivers must undertake any particular training or qualification to meet their licensing requirements.
	Our licensing Best Practice Guidance for authorities suggests they should consider, in consultation with the local taxi and PHV trades, what training initiatives and requirements are appropriate for their area.

Train Operating Companies: Rolling Stock

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons train operating companies are not allowed to acquire new rolling stock within their existing franchise without her Department's approval.

Tom Harris: Proposals from train operators are welcome if they are going to fund new rolling stock. The Department needs to ensure contractual arrangements are in place in case of franchise termination so they can continue to operate the service; hence, there is a process in place to give these approvals.

Train Operating Companies: Rolling Stock

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates her Department was first made aware by  (a) a rolling stock company and  (b) a train operating company of a request for an increased amount of rolling stock on (i) the west coast mainline, (ii) the northern train's franchise and (iii) the southern franchise.

Tom Harris: Since the Department for Transport has regular and ongoing discussions with train operators regarding current and projected passenger demand and the efficient utilisation of existing capacity, it is not practically possible to identify dates when specific propositions were first raised. While train operators may seek central Government funding for additional rolling stock, it may also be procured with third party funding or at the commercial initiative of the train operator itself.

Transport: Capital Investment

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government capital funding for transport was provided to the City of York from  (a) 1987 to 1997 and  (b) 1997 to 2007.

Rosie Winterton: The information is as follows:
	 (a) Prior to 1996-97 North Yorkshire county council was the local highway and transport authority covering York. Figures for Government transport capital funding specifically for the York area are not available. The City of York council was created as a unitary authority in 1996. For 1996-97 it was allocated £3.340 million.
	 (b) York city council has been allocated a total of £52.830 million of local transport capital funding for the financial years 1997-98 to 2007-08 (inclusive).

Transport: Costs

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the real terms cost of travelling by  (a) bus,  (b) rail and  (c) private car has been in each region in England in each year since 1997, taking 1997 as the baseline.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not available at regional level.

Transport: Finance

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the funding allocated to the Yorkshire and Humber region for major transport projects up to 2015-16 has been  (a) allocated to and  (b) spent on individual schemes; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The funding allocated for major transport projects in Yorkshire and the Humber from 2006-07 to 2015-16 is £927 million. The funding so far provisionally allocated to individual schemes is £877.6 million, though some of the schemes concerned have not yet completed formal approval processes. The estimated outturn expenditure on these schemes, from April 2006 to December 2007, is £131.175 million.

Yorkshire and Humberside

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what official visits she has made to Yorkshire and the Humber since her appointment; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport, visited Yorkshire and the Humber recently to open the M606/62 car pool lane. Since my appointment as Regional Minister I have made regular official visits to the region to discuss transport issues with a range of stakeholders.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Driving Under Influence: Young People

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) males and  (b) females under the age of 19 years were (i) arrested for (ii) charged with and (iii) convicted of driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol in each district command unit in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: This information is not available in the requested format.
	The following tables provide the numbers arrested and prosecuted for alcohol/drug related driving offences.
	
		
			  Table 1: Males under the age of 19 years prosecuted and convicted of alcohol/drug related driving offences by DCU address of offender 2002-06 
			   2002  2003  2004 
			   Prosecuted  Convicted  Prosecuted  Convicted  Prosecuted  Convicted 
			 Antrim 0 0 3 3 0 0 
			 Ards 2 2 2 2 3 3 
			 Armagh 0 0 4 4 1 0 
			 Banbridge 4 4 2 2 1 1 
			 Belfast East 2 2 1 1 2 2 
			 Belfast North 0 0 1 1 5 5 
			 Belfast South 1 1 0 0 4 4 
			 Belfast West 4 4 6 6 4 4 
			 Ballymena 1 1 1 1 3 3 
			 Ballymoney 0 0 3 3 0 0 
			 Carrickfergus 2 2 0 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 2 2 4 4 4 4 
			 Cookstown 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon 2 2 4 3 5 5 
			 Castlereagh 2 1 2 2 1 1 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 3 2 1 1 2 2 
			 Down 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Fermanagh 5 5 4 4 1 1 
			 Foyle 3 3 4 4 4 4 
			 Larne 1 1 1 1 2 2 
			 Limavady 3 3 2 2 0 0 
			 Lisburn 8 7 1 1 5 5 
			 Magherafelt 2 2 2 2 0 0 
			 Moyle 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Newtownabbey 2 2 2 2 1 1 
			 North Down 4 4 2 2 5 5 
			 Newry and Mourne 2 2 2 1 5 4 
			 Omagh 3 3 0 0 1 1 
			 Strabane 1 1 1 1 3 3 
			 Missing(1) 1 1 3 3 2 2 
			
			 Total 61 58 59 57 64 62 
		
	
	
		
			   2005   2006  
			   Prosecuted  Convicted  Prosecuted  Convicted 
			 Antrim 3 3 3 3 
			 Ards 1 1 3 3 
			 Armagh 3 2 3 2 
			 Banbridge 2 1 1 1 
			 Belfast East 2 2 2 2 
			 Belfast North 7 7 6 4 
			 Belfast South 0 0 1 1 
			 Belfast West 2 2 2 2 
			 Ballymena 3 3 0 0 
			 Ballymoney 2 2 3 3 
			 Carrickfergus 2 2 2 2 
			 Coleraine 4 4 0 0 
			 Cookstown 0 0 1 1 
			 Craigavon 4 4 4 4 
			 Castlereagh 2 2 3 3 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 0 0 2 2 
			 Down 4 4 2 1 
			 Fermanagh 1 1 5 5 
			 Foyle 3 3 5 5 
			 Larne 1 0 1 1 
			 Limavady 1 1 1 1 
			 Lisburn 2 2 1 1 
			 Magherafelt 2 2 0 0 
			 Moyle 0 0 0 0 
			 Newtownabbey 1 1 5 4 
			 North Down 2 2 2 1 
			 Newry and Mourne 4 3 1 1 
			 Omagh 0 0 2 2 
			 Strabane 1 1 2 2 
			 Missing(1) 3 3 1 1 
			  
			 Total 62 58 64 58 
			 (1) Missing data relate to those offenders for whom DCU information is not available. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Females under the age of 19 years prosecuted and convicted of alcohol/drug related driving offences by police District Command Unit 2002-2006 
			   2002  2003  2004 
			   Prosecuted  Convicted  Prosecuted  Convicted  Prosecuted  Convicted 
			 Ards 0 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Armagh 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Belfast North 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Down 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Larne 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Omagh 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Missing(2) 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Total 0 0 3 3 1 1 
		
	
	
		
			   2005  2006 
			   Prosecuted  Convicted  Prosecuted  Convicted 
			 Ards 0 0 0 0 
			 Armagh 1 1 1 1 
			 Belfast North 0 0 1 1 
			 Cookstown 0 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon 1 1 1 1 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 1 1 0 0 
			 Down 1 0 0 0 
			 Larne 0 0 0 0 
			 Omagh 0 0 1 1 
			 Missing(2) 1 1 1 1 
			  
			 Total 5 4 5 5 
			 (1) Only those DCUs where there were court outcomes are included for females (i.e. the DCUs in which females have been prosecuted or convicted in the previous five years have been included in the table). (2) Missing data relate to those offenders for whom DCU information is not available.

Drugs: Children

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children under the age of 16 years have been  (a) charged with and  (b) convicted of drug-related offences in each district command unit in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is set out in the following tables. Prior to 2006-07, the PSNI did not provide separate figures for the number charged and prosecuted.
	
		
			  Table 1 (a): Persons charged or summonsed for drug-related offences under the age of 16, 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Antrim 2 0 3 1 1 
			 Ards 0 1 2 0 2 
			 East Belfast 3 10 3 2 1 
			 North Belfast 3 1 3 2 1 
			 South Belfast 2 2 8 5 5 
			 West Belfast 3 0 3 2 5 
			 Carrickfergus 0 0 1 0 2 
			 Castlereagh 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Larne 1 1 0 1 0 
			 Lisburn 3 1 5 3 5 
			 Newtownabbey 0 0 0 2 0 
			 North Down 2 2 4 2 4 
			  Urban 19 18 32 21 26 
			   
			 Armagh 1 2 5 0 0 
			 Banbridge 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Ballymena 2 3 4 1 1 
			 Ballymoney 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Coleraine 4 3 1 2 2 
			 Cookstown 0 0 3 1 1 
			 Craigavon 1 1 1 6 8 
			 Dungannon and S Tyrone 2 0 1 1 0 
			 Down 0 4 2 1 2 
			 Fermanagh 0 0 0 5 1 
			 Foyle 2 2 1 1 0 
			 Limavady 0 2 3 0 5 
			 Magherafelt 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Moyle 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Newry and Mourne 2 1 1 2 1 
			 Omagh 0 0 1 1 0 
			 Strabane 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Rural 14 18 24 21 21 
			 Northern Ireland total 33 36 56 42 47 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 1 (b): Breakdown of persons charged or summonsed for drug-related offences under the age of 16, 2006-07 
			   Charged  Summonsed  Total 
			 Antrim 0 1 1 
			 Ards 0 2 2 
			 East Belfast 0 1 1 
			 North Belfast 0 1 1 
			 South Belfast 1 4 5 
			 West Belfast 1 4 5 
			 Carrickfergus 0 2 2 
			 Castlereagh 0 0 0 
			 Larne 0 0 0 
			 Lisburn 0 5 5 
			 Newtownabbey 0 0 0 
			 North Down 0 4 4 
			  Urban 2 24 26 
			 
			 Armagh 0 0 0 
			 Banbridge 0 0 0 
			 Ballymena 0 1 1 
			 Ballymoney 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 0 2 2 
			 Cookstown 0 1 1 
			 Craigavon 2 6 8 
			 Dungannon and S Tyrone 0 0 0 
			 Down 0 2 2 
			 Fermanagh 0 1 1 
			 Foyle 0 0 0 
			 Limavady 2 3 5 
			 Magherafelt 0 0 0 
			 Moyle 0 0 0 
			 Newry and Mourne 0 1 1 
			 Omagh 0 0 0 
			 Strabane 0 0 0 
			  Rural 4 17 21 
			 Northern Ireland total 6 41 47 
			  Source: Central Statistics Unit, Police Service of Northern Ireland. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of prosecutions and convictions for drug offences for persons aged 10 to 15 years old for the calendar years 2002 to 2006 by police district command unit 
			   2002  2003  2004 
			   Prosecutions  Convictions  Prosecutions  Convictions  Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 Antrim 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Ards 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Armagh 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Ballymena 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Belfast East 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Belfast North 0 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Belfast South 1 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Belfast West 1 1 0 0 1 1 
			 Carrickfergus 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Castlereagh 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Colerame 0 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Cookstown 0 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Craigavon 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Foyle 0 0 2 1 0 0 
			 Limavady 0 0 2 1 0 0 
			 Lisburn 0 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Newry and Mourne 0 0 0 0 2 2 
			 Newtownabbey 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Down 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Omagh 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northern Ireland total 4 3 9 7 12 11 
		
	
	
		
			   2005  2006 
			   Prosecutions  Convictions  Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 Antrim 0 0 0 0 
			 Ards 2 2 1 1 
			 Armagh 0 0 0 0 
			 Ballymena 1 1 1 1 
			 Belfast East 0 0 0 0 
			 Belfast North 0 0 2 2 
			 Belfast South 3 3 1 1 
			 Belfast West 0 0 1 1 
			 Carrickfergus 0 0 2 2 
			 Castlereagh 0 0 0 0 
			 Colerame 0 0 0 0 
			 Cookstown 0 0 0 0 
			 Craigavon 0 0 0 0 
			 Foyle 1 1 0 0 
			 Limavady 0 0 1 1 
			 Lisburn 0 0 1 1 
			 Newry and Mourne 1 1 0 0 
			 Newtownabbey 0 0 1 1 
			 North Down 1 1 0 0 
			 Omagh 1 1 0 0 
			 Northern Ireland total 10 10 11 11 
		
	
	These tables of statistics are not directly comparable as statistics on charges are compiled by the PSNI on a financial year basis, and statistics on convictions are compiled by the courts on a calendar year basis.

Missing Persons

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons registered as missing in Northern Ireland have been missing for  (a) less than one year and  (b) more than five years; and what percentage these figures represent of the total number of persons missing.

Paul Goggins: Missing persons are dealt with at district level. The information requested could not be provided without conducting a full examination of the records of each district, which could be carried out only at disproportionate cost.
	However, an exercise conducted for the Northern Ireland Policing Board in November 2007 calculated the number of missing persons reported in each year since 2002 as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2007(1) 581 
			 2006 642 
			 2005 689 
			 2004 684 
			 2003 668 
			 2002 437 
			 (1 )Up until November 2007. 
		
	
	There were 68 persons registered as missing in Northern Ireland as of early November 2007. Only a very small number of persons reported missing are not subsequently located.

Olympic Games 2012

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been secured for the construction of a new stadium in Belfast to host the football finals of the London 2012 Olympics Games.

Shaun Woodward: This is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

Sexual Offences: Convictions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 389-90W, on sexual offences, of what offences sexual offenders residing in each police command area were convicted.

Paul Goggins: This information is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Products

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of each major agricultural commodity consumed in the UK which was produced in the UK in the last period for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: A suitable measure is UK production or UK home-fed production as a percentage of total new supply for use in the UK(1), for which data are available for the calendar year 2007 for a range of agricultural commodities as detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Commodity  Production as percentage of total new supply for use in the UK( 1) 
			 Wheat 106 
			 Barley 108 
			 Oats 103 
			 Oilseed rape 111 
			 Sugar beet 63 
			 Potatoes 79 
			 Vegetables 58 
			 Fruit 11 
			 Poultry and poultry meat 90 
			 Beef and veal 82 
			 Mutton and lamb 82 
			 Pork 69 
			 Bacon and ham 42 
			 Hen eggs 81 
			 Liquid milk 103 
			 Butter 61 
			 Cheese 55 
			 Cream (fresh, frozen, sterilised) 114 
			 Condensed milk 76 
			 Milk powders 167 
			 (1) New supply for use in the UK is defined as UK production plus imports minus exports. For beef, veal, mutton and lamb the measure and term used is home-fed production and home-cured production for bacon and ham.

Bluetongue Disease: Disease Control

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contingency arrangements are in place for tackling a serotype of bluetongue, other than serotype 8, if it enters the UK.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 25 March 2008
	 The UK Bluetongue Control Strategy, which was developed in close collaboration with a core group of farming and veterinary stakeholders, the devolved Administrations and scientific experts on Bluetongue, sets out the contingency arrangements for dealing with an outbreak. The control strategy applies to all serotypes of Bluetongue, not just serotype 8.

Bluetongue Disease: Disease Control

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of how many and what proportion of livestock farmers in protection zones will take up bluetongue vaccine;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) sheep and  (b) cattle in protection zones which will be eligible to receive the bluetongue vaccine.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 25 March 2008
	 Data on livestock in England are only immediately available to cover the protection and surveillance zones as they stood on 25 February 2008:
	
		
			   PZ only  SZ only  All England 
			  Cattle
			 Numbers 224,590 1,918,735 5,617,280 
			 Holdings 2,912 19,889 52,729 
			 
			  Sheep
			 Numbers 893,574 6,045,955 15,586,191 
			 Holdings 4,419 23,722 48,393 
			 
			  Deer (farmed)
			 Numbers 3,891 18,772 26,135 
			 Holdings 42 184 301 
			 
			  Goats
			 Numbers 8,667 41,626 82,657 
			 Holdings 1,089 4,120 7,002 
		
	
	Following further confirmation of infected premises, the Protection and surveillance zones have subsequently been enlarged.
	Under European Community law, bluetongue vaccination can only be carried out in a protection zone. Once vaccination is progressing broadly across the protection zone, the intention is to extend or modify the zone in order to permit further vaccination, allowing a phased approach as vaccine comes on-stream. However, when vaccine first becomes available from May, it could initially be necessary to limit vaccine availability within the protection zone in accordance with the supply of vaccine and the epidemiological situation.
	Although we have made no formal estimate of likely take-up of vaccine, the advice of industry stakeholders is that take-up will be high in a voluntary scheme, especially if an active approach is taken to promoting vaccination. As individual keepers will be responsible for the costs of vaccination, our aim, in close collaboration with a core group of industry stakeholders, has been to develop a vaccination programme which will reduce the cost of vaccination to a minimum by using existing delivery chains and reducing regulatory burdens in order to encourage maximum participation.

Bluetongue Disease: Vaccinations

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what dosage will be necessary for vaccinating each  (a) sheep and  (b) cow against bluetongue;
	(2)  when he expects the bluetongue vaccine doses on order from Intervet to be available in  (a) England and  (b) Wales;
	(3)  what percentage of livestock susceptible to bluetongue in protection zones in  (a) England and  (b) Wales he expects the bluetongue vaccine to be available for.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 20 March 2008
	The UK was the first member state affected by the current outbreak of bluetongue to place an order for vaccine; 22.5 million doses. 20 million doses are reserved for use in England and 2.5 million doses are reserved for use in Wales. The first batches of vaccine are expected to be available from May.
	Vaccination is limited to the Protection Zone, and so vaccine will be available to all keepers of susceptible livestock in the Protection Zone, who will be able to purchase vaccine through their private vet. However, as vaccine begins to be delivered by Intervet, it may be necessary to prioritise vaccine availability to reflect supply and the epidemiological situation.
	The vaccine being produced by Intervet will require one dose in sheep and two doses in cattle. The size of the dose is likely to be one millilitre but this is subject to ongoing discussions between Intervet and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate as part of the vaccine licensing process.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle have died or been slaughtered in  (a) England,  (b) Cumbria and  (c) Copeland constituency because of bovine tuberculosis over the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: Our extensive bovine TB testing programme ensures that, generally, cattle showing signs of exposure to bovine TB are identified and slaughtered before the disease has become too advanced. Cattle with advanced bovine TB, or cattle dying from the disease, are very rarely found.
	The number of cattle slaughtered under bovine TB control measures in England and Cumbria is shown in the following table. It is not possible to break the data down to a constituency level.
	
		
			   Number of cattle slaughtered( 1) 
			   England  Cumbria 
			 2003 17,551 275 
			 2004 17,306 510 
			 2005(2) 23,135 168 
			 2006(2) 16,007 114 
			 2007(2) 19,794 29 
			 (1) Includes cattle slaughtered as skin and gamma-interferon test reactors, skin test inconclusive reactors and direct contacts. (2) 2005-07 figures are provisional, subject to change as more data become available.

Caravan Sites

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether his Department has held a consultation on proposed amendments to the time limit given in paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960;
	(2)  what organisations have exemption certificates under paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960;
	(3)  what discussions his Department has had with the devolved administrations on proposed changes to Schedule 1 to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960;
	(4)  what representations his Department has received on the proposed changes to the time limit given in paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.

Jonathan R Shaw: Any proposal for amendments to the time limit given in paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 would require new primary legislation. DEFRA has no plans for any such legislation.
	DEFRA and Natural England, who now deal with the issue of exemption certificates under the 1960 Act, are updating, and consolidating into a single document, the existing guidance on applications for exemption certificates for both caravans and camping. We have consulted the devolved administrations and the major camping and caravanning organisations, including the Association of Caravan and Camping Exempted Organisations, about the new document.
	The document reiterates previous guidance on the time limit for paragraph 6 exemptions—consisting of a maximum of five periods of 24 hours commencing when the first caravan is stationed on the rally site.
	Exempted organisations which, prior to any exempted rally, wish to have a single caravan on the rally site to assist with the setting up of an event may rely on the additional exemption under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 of the 1960 Act. This provides that a site licence is not required for the use of land by a person travelling with a caravan for not more than two nights. The exemption is subject to the condition that only one caravan is allowed and the total number of days in any twelve month period on which a caravan was stationed anywhere on the site, or any adjoining land in the same ownership, cannot exceed 28 days.
	DEFRA and Natural England are considering representations from the major camping and caravan organisations. We expect to finalise the single guidance document by the summer of 2008.
	There are over 300 organisations who hold exemption certificates under paragraph 6 of Schedule 1 of the 1960 Act, so it is not practical to list them. A list of the organisations is publicly available on the Natural England website.

Carbon Emissions: Housing

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of progress in meeting targets for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from the housing sector; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA is monitoring annual changes in household energy consumption, by fuel, and hence the corresponding CO2 emissions.
	Against a long-term trend of rising gas consumption, over the period 2004-06, consumption of gas by household consumers fell by over 8 per cent. Of this, possibly up to half could be attributed to higher prices; weather changes had little effect. Improved energy efficiency for heating, particularly higher levels of insulation (installed via the Energy Efficiency Commitment) and more efficient boilers (required by Building Regulations), is likely to have contributed to the remaining reduction of gas, the principal heating fuel. However, more detailed analysis is required to quantify this effect.

Carbon Offsetting Fund

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy for payments from the Department for Communities and Local Government towards the Carbon Offsetting Fund to be used to support offsetting or renewable energy projects in local communities in the UK.

Phil Woolas: There are currently no viable energy efficiency or renewable energy UK offsetting projects due to our membership of the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS).
	This is because the UK prefers to meet its targets through direct emission reductions, rather than offsets.

Chemicals: Waste Disposal

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which municipal waste disposal sites received chemical waste generated by Monsanto in the latest period for which data are available.

Joan Ruddock: Wastes are categorised as hazardous, non-hazardous or inert. Specific waste streams are then sub-categorised using the European Waste Catalogue. The term "chemical waste" is not a category that is currently in use.
	The Environment Agency authorises waste types that are appropriate for landfilling but does not normally authorise individual and specific waste sources. The Environment Agency is therefore not able to state categorically which of 1,500-plus operational and closed landfill sites in England and Wales have received chemical waste from Monsanto.
	Consignment notes held by waste management facilities would record the source of the waste. Prior to 2005, the Environment Agency was sent copies of these consignment notes, but the cost of extracting the required information from these records would be disproportionate. The Environment Agency retains these records for four years so would not be able to provide a full account of wastes deposited by Monsanto even if data were readily available.

Climate Change

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what research he has evaluated to develop his policy on anthropogenic climate change;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the reliability of the scientific evidence on which each of the four Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports has been based; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the reliability of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports in developing his policies on climate change.

Phil Woolas: The scientific basis for understanding anthropogenic climate change is extremely strong. DEFRA evaluates the evidence provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its comprehensive reports, as well as through DEFRA and Ministry of Defence funded climate research undertaken by the UK's world-leading Met Office in Hadley Centre, in Exeter; and through ongoing contact with other climate researchers in the UK and elsewhere.
	Four assessment reports have been completed in 1990, 1995, 2001 and the latest in 2007. The UK fully supports the work of the IPCC and regards its assessments as providing the most authoritative view of climate change. The IPCC assessments have fully informed the development of domestic climate policy and the UK position in international climate negotiations.
	Hundreds of UK scientists were involved in the preparation of the fourth assessment report and DEFRA supports lead authors and review editors to participate in IPCC writing groups.

Climate Change

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA has received no representations on the Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change.

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Jonathan R Shaw: 599 members of staff in core-DEFRA and those Executive agencies covered by the core-Department's terms and conditions: Animal Health, Marine and Fisheries Agency, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Government Decontamination Service and Pesticides Safety Directorate (9.75 per cent. of total number of staff employed in core-DEFRA and the named Executive agencies) were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2007. This has decreased to 544 members of staff (9.74 per cent. of total number of staff employed in core-DEFRA and the named Executive agencies) who were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2008.

Domestic Wastes: Contracts

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) subject and  (b) cost was of each research contract (i) his Department and (ii) WRAP have commissioned on household waste since 2001.

Joan Ruddock: The Waste and Resources Research Programme (now renamed the Waste and Resources Evidence Programme since the publication of DEFRA's Waste and Resources Evidence Strategy 2007-11 in September 2007) only started commissioning research projects from the summer of 2005. The following table lists those projects that have some association with household waste issues.
	Details of the research contracts on household waste that were commissioned by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) can be found on its website at:
	http://www.wrap.org.uk/.
	
		
			  Contracted project title  Lead contractor  WRT code  SIS code  Total project value (£) 
			 Household Waste Prevention Policy Side Research Programme The Environment Council 251 WR0103 160,695 
			 Lifestyle Scenarios: Futures for Waste Composition Brook Lyndhurst 202 WR0104 139,100 
			 Project REDUCE M and E: Developing Waste Prevention Measurement Tools Waste Watch 192 WR0105 118,378 
			 Achieving Household Waste Prevention and Promoting Sustainable Resource Use though Product Service Systems Cranfield University 129 WR0106 190,971 
			 Modelling Impacts of Lifestyle Changes on Household Waste Arisings AEAT 218 WR0107 177,864 
			 Understanding Household Waste Prevention Behaviour University of Paisley 109 WR0112 62,863 
			 Refillable Packaging Systems Loughborough University 151 WR0113 140,183 
			 Building Understanding of Techniques and Processes to Promote SWM through Behaviour Change Programmes Global Action Plan 113 WR0114 186,868 
			 Household Waste Prevention Activity in Dorset Dorset County Council 264 WR0116 227,413 
			 Towards a Materials Resource Authority: Promoting Practical Waste Prevention and Exploring Options for Resource Management Hampshire County Council 195 WR0117 225,000 
			 Recycling of Low Grade Clothing Waste Oakdene Hollins 152 WR0201 154,500 
			 Enhancing Participation in Kitchen Waste Collection Brook Lyndhurst 372 WR0209 224,200 
			 Biowaste Management: Policy Options for Climate Change Benefits ERM 370 WR0210 85,675 
			 Unlocking the Potential of Community Composting Open University 400 WR0211 209,647 
			 Optimising Inputs and Outputs from Anaerobic Digestion Processes Southampton University 404 WR0212 203,090 
			 Factors Influencing the Performance of CA Sites' Recycling Resource Futures 457 WR0215 32,694 
			 Delivery of Waste Management Facilities in EU Member States: Comparative Review and Lessons Learned (co-funding contribution) CIWM/SLR 288 WR0216 85,643 
			 Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety Risks of Waste Collection and Handling Systems Health and Safety Executive 309 WR0217 67,500 
			 Biowaste Scoping Study Composting Association 278 WR0218 18,000 
			 Landfill Settlement: Controlling the Time to Completion Golder Associates 381 WR0301 76,450 
			 Forced Air Flow and Distribution in Landfill Wastes Southampton University 350 WR0302 129,800 
			 Science and Strategies for the Sustainable Management of Residual Wastes and Landfills (Third party contribution) Veolia Environmental Body 329 WR0303 11,020 
			 Towards Sustainable Landfill: Passive Fail-safe Design and Engineering Golder Associates 279 WR0304 71,000 
			 Science and Strategies for the Long Term Management of Landfills (co-funding contribution) EPSRC/ Southampton University 424 WR0305 200,000 
			 New Approach to Fly Ash Processing and Applications to Minimise Wastage to Landfill Dundee University 395 WR0401 254,647 
			 Replicating Success: Social Enterprises and the Waste Sector in London (co-funded by LDA) Brook Lyndhurst 250 WR0501 230,888 
			 Social Enterprises and SWM: Evaluating Impacts, Capacities and Opportunities Cardiff University 162 WR0502 153,736 
			 Fly-Tipping: Incentives, Causes and Solutions University College London 274 WR0503 193,000 
			 Establishing the Evidence-base for Delivering Community-based Pro-environmental Behavioural Change Brook Lyndhurst 296 WR0504 102,652 
			 Post Evaluation of Household Incentive Pilot Schemes University of Brighton 452 WR0505 4,500 
			 Benefits of Third Sector Involvement in WM Resources for Change 318 WR0506 100,490 
			 Behaviour Change: Scoping the Way Forward AEAT 087 WR0508 9,775 
			 Attitudes towards the Use of Organic Resources on Land Open University 049 WR0510 203,666 
			 Evaluation of the Household Waste Incentives Pilot Scheme AEAT 330 WR0512 19,744 
			 Health and Environmental Impacts of Vermin/Insects in the Context of WM Operations CSL 100 WR0601 26,724 
			 Carbon Balances and Energy Impacts in Managing UK Waste Streams ERM 237 WR0602 108,320 
			 Review of Landfill Surface Emissions Colder Associates 369 WR0604 40,000 
			 Rapid Response Monitoring Network for Bioaerosol Emissions National Physical Laboratory 281 WR0605 293,000 
			 Dose-response Relationships and Bio-aerosol Data IOM Consulting 282 WR0606 45,750 
			 Scoping the Development of an Industry-wide Health and Safety Initiative CIWM/Entec 454 WR0607 47,000 
			 Emissions from WM: Frameworks for Assessment of Data Quality and Research Needs ERM 083 WR0608 115,000 
			 Impact of EfW and Recycling Policy on UK GHG Emissions ERM 327 WR0609 39,750 
			 Evaluating the Costs of 'Waste to Value' Management Ceres Logistics 142 WR0702 99,700 
			 Infrastructure Needs for a Resource Efficient Economy Institute of Civil Engineers 292 WR0703 7,000 
			 Updated Life Cycle Study on Reusable and Disposable Nappies (Co-funding contribution) EA/ERM 333 WR0705 17,552 
			 Impacts of Household Charging in England Eunomia 450 WR0708 35,160 
			 Data Deficiencies in WM Policy and Practice AEAT 215 WR0801 119,710 
			 Impact of Promotion and Education Programmes on Recycling Participation Enviros 455 WR0802 40,000 
			 Municipal Waste Composition: Garden Waste Data Composition WRAP 495 WR1502 2,932 
			 Total — — — 5,509,250

Farms: Inspections

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farm inspections were conducted in each of the last five years, broken down by inspection body.

Jonathan R Shaw: Farm inspections are conducted by different bodies for different reasons. Regarding DEFRA bodies, the chief executives of the Rural Payment Agency, Animal Health, Veterinary Laboratory Agency, Veterinary Medicine Directorate, Natural England, and the Environment Agency have been asked to supply the information for their agencies.
	Individual local authorities will hold information on the number of visits they have carried out. A fully comprehensive reply cannot be given as a significant proportion of the information is not collected centrally. Also, there is some uncertainty about whether non-regulatory visits would come within the scope of the hon. Member's question.
	The number of farm inspections carried out by Animal Health and the Veterinary Laboratory Agency are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Animal Health(1) 122,000 131,000 126,000 136,000 110,000 
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate(2) 772 587 686 535 380 
			 (1) The source for the data is incomplete and it is not possible to differentiate between inspections and testing visits.  (2) Includes routine and follow up/special visits but excludes inspections for residues as these are included in Animal Health's figures. 
		
	
	Visits are undertaken by Animal Health staff, by local veterinary inspectors acting on behalf of the organisation, or by the Egg Marketing and Dairy Hygiene Inspectorates.
	In 2007, the overall number of visits declined due to a reduction in volume of sampling visits under the National Scrapie Plan and for brucellosis.
	The Veterinary Laboratories Agency does not undertake any regulatory inspections.
	The number of farm inspections carried out by the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) Inspectorate from 2003-04 to 2007-08 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003-04 (1)13,805 
			 2004-05 (2)11,779 
			 2005-06 (3)11,951 
			 2006-07 (3)13,869 
			 2007-08 (4)14,457 
			 (1) All Integrated Administration Control System (IACS) and England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) scheme inspections.  (2) All IACS and ERDP scheme inspections.  (3) First year of Single Payment Scheme (SPS)—includes all SPS Land Eligibility, Cross-compliance, Remote sensing follow-up, Cattle Identification Inspection and ERDP Inspections.  (4) As above, plus statutory sheep and goat inspections. 
		
	
	In 2006-07 and 2007-08, the Horticultural Marketing inspectors who merged with the RPA Inspectorate on 1 April 2006, carried out the following inspections at the premises of glasshouse growers, market gardeners, etc.:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2006 1,452 
			 2007 1,433 
		
	
	Information cannot be readily gathered from a single IT system for this timeframe without incurring disproportionate cost. Animal Health have been developing its management information and hence more detailed figures are available for 2007.
	Using available data, Animal Health undertook in the region of 25,000 on farm inspections in Britain in 2007. This figure includes 4,227 visits to inspect farm animal welfare (including welfare cross-compliance inspections), 12,963 inspections undertaken by the Dairy Hygiene Inspectorate (DHI) and 2,905 on farm inspections made by the Egg Marketing Inspectorate (EMI)(1).
	Across these three programmes, some 22,000 on farm inspections were completed annually from 2003-07.
	As well as inspection visits, Animal Health carries out various types of visit to sample stock for surveillance and for disease control. Within this category, agency staff or official veterinarians(2) working on its behalf undertook more than 50,000 herd tests for bovine TB in 2007 and 8,000 visits under the National Scrapie Plan (NSP).
	(1) DHI and EMI merged with the State Veterinary Service in October 2006 and April 2007 respectively.
	(2) OVs—previously referred to as Local Veterinary Inspectors (LVIs).
	The number of inspections of farm animal welfare and on farm inspections performed by DHI and EMI, in 2003-07 is shown in the following table. It also shows the number of bTB herd testing visits and NSP sampling visits completed in these years.
	
		
			  Type of visit  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Welfare inspection 2,879 3,201 3,419 3,849 (1)4,227 
			 DHI inspection 16,553 15,414 15,474 14,996 12,963 
			 EMI inspection 2,722 3,098 2,865 3,241 2,905 
			 TB herd test 45,120 44,794 43,627 50,327 51,221 
			 NSP sampling 10,469 10,443 12,480 11,730 7,989 
			 (1) 2007 welfare inspection visits include welfare cross-compliance inspections.

Farms: Inspections

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans his Department has to  (a) simplify and  (b) reduce the number of farm inspections.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Whole Farm Approach includes a project looking at on-farm inspections. The aim is to "join-up" inspections, bringing together as many organisations as possible that visit farms to enforce regulatory requirements or undertake routine monitoring. The project is focusing on increased sharing of inspection resource and inspection data to better target inspection activity and reduce the burden on the better performing farms.

Flood Control: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the flood defence pumps in the Lyth Valley, South Cumbria, continue to operate effectively.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency is producing a Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP) for the Kent and Leven catchments, which includes the Lyth Valley. The CFMP will consider a wide variety of interests and initiatives in the area. Public consultation will commence within the next month.
	The CFMP will identify future flood risk management actions across the catchments for the next 50-100 years and will include long term decisions about river maintenance and the land drainage pumps in the Lyth Valley. However, in the short term, the Environment Agency will continue to operate and maintain the pumps in the Lyth Valley.

Floods: Finance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the damage to furniture, furnishings and moveables that were damaged and sent to landfill following the floods in summer 2007; and what estimate he has made of the impact these losses will have on council tax for those councils most affected.

Phil Woolas: My Department has not specifically assessed the damage caused to furniture and furnishings destroyed as a result of last summer's floods.
	Evidence provided by local authorities indicates only a relatively small increase in municipal waste arisings as a result of last year's flooding. This is within the normal range of variations in annual waste arisings and should not have a long-term or significant impact on waste management costs.

Government Offices for the Regions

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of his Department's programme budgets were administered by the Government Offices of the Regions in each of the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: None of my Department's programme budgets are directly administered by the Government Offices.
	We have a number of programme budgets administered centrally by my Department which fund projects within the Government Office regions, and the Government Offices have an oversight role on these regional funds, in terms of how and where the money is spent. The following table sets out a number of programmes where the Government Office has had an oversight role in each of the last five years.
	More generally, Government Offices have a key role to play on the DEFRA agenda by acting as environmental leaders and working in partnership with local stakeholders on cross-cutting issues such as climate change, sustainable development natural environment and waste.
	
		
			   DEFRA programmes indirectly administered by the Government Offices 
			   
			 2002-03 Sustainable Development Publicity 
			  Leader + 
			  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund 
			  Regional Rural Affairs Forums 
			  Waste Regional Support Fund 
			  Sustainable Food and Farming 
			  Waste Implementation Programme 
			  Leader + 
			  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund 
			  Regional Rural Affairs Forums 
			 2003-04 Sustainable Development Publicity 
			   
			 2004-05 Sustainable Development Publicity 
			  Waste Regional Support Fund 
			  Sustainable Food and Farming 
			  Waste Implementation Programme 
			  Leader + 
			  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund 
			  Regional Rural Affairs Forums 
			   
			 2005-06 Sustainable Development Publicity 
			  Waste Regional Support Fund 
			  Sustainable Food and Farming 
			  Waste Implementation Programme 
			  Leader + 
			  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund 
			  Regional Rural Affairs Forums 
			  Rural Social and Community Programme 
			   
			 2006-07 Sustainable Development Partnership and Innovation Fund 
			  Waste Regional Support Fund 
			  Sustainable Food and Farming 
			  Waste Implementation Programme 
			  Leader + 
			  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund 
			  Regional Rural Affairs Forums 
			  Rural Social and Community Programme

Greyhounds: Animal Welfare

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1994W, on greyhounds: animal welfare, if he will take account of representations on  (a) a single system of regulation and set of national standards for greyhound racing,  (b) an independent oversight body,  (c) a compulsory levy on bookmakers to fund welfare improvements,  (d) a central database to record injuries to greyhounds,  (e) a mandatory independent veterinarian at tracks,  (f) requirements for greyhounds to be able to stand up and turn around while being transported,  (g) rules on race frequency,  (h) independent inspections of tracks and kennels and breeders' premises,  (i) micro-chipping of dogs,  (j) licensing of trainers and track staff and  (k) a presumption against euthanasia in considering the response of the greyhound industry to Lord Donoughue's review; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: We are currently considering proposals for the regulation of greyhound racing. The Government will, of course, take into account the recommendations made by Lord Donoughue and also the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW). There will be a full public consultation on any proposals before scrutiny by Parliament.

Ground Water: Pollution

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 735-6W, on ground water: pollution, what plans he has to initiate research into the level of groundwater contamination in the UK and to publish a strategic plan detailing the level of  (a) contamination and  (b) clean water.

Phil Woolas: In 2006 the Environment Agency published a report which identified the main risks to and impacts on groundwater quality. The Environment Agency has also carried out a groundwater protection policy review, which provides information on the key issues surrounding the contamination of groundwater. I have arranged for a copy of both documents to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	As part of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the agencies must prepare assessments of the risks to, and the status of, groundwater bodies in the UK and prepare strategic plans to meet WFD objectives. Preliminary risk assessments were published in 2004. These will be revised and published, together with status maps and proposed actions, in the draft River Basin District Management Plans. We expect these to issue for public consultation in December 2008.

Hare Coursing

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of illegal hare-coursing in England since the implementation of the Hunting Act 2004.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA has made no assessment of the extent of illegal hare-coursing in England since the implementation of the Hunting Act 2004.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many households received at least one main measure under the Warm Front Scheme in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06,  (d) 2006-07 and  (e) 2007-08, broken down by local authority area.

Phil Woolas: I have arranged for the information requested to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Incinerators: Pollution

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much air pollution control residue from incinerators was treated and disposed of in Gloucestershire in the latest period for which figures are available; what percentage of the UK's total this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: During 2007, Gloucestershire treated and disposed of 22,170 tonnes of air pollution control residues; this represents 15 per cent. of the total in England and Wales.

Nature Conservation: Wildlife

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy to give equal consideration to native and non-native species in exercising his powers on species to be added to and removed from the list of species in Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: In view of the EU-wide import ban on wild birds and sales controls under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species, I announced in Westminster Hall on 23 January that non-native species would not be considered for retention on or addition to schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
	No decision has yet been taken on which native species should remain on or be added to schedule 4.

Planning Permission: Gleadthorpe Farm

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many bids were received for the former ADAS site at Gleadthorpe, Nottinghamshire; who the successful bidder was; what plans are being made to return the site to native heathland; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 26 March 2008
	The Department received six bids by informal tender for Gleadthorpe Grange Farm.
	The Department has given very careful consideration to the value for money to the public purse of each proposal received, including the financial, environmental and biodiversity benefits of the individual bids. The Department has also considered whether the benefits of any particular offer provided enhanced value or efficiency in terms of policy delivery when compared to normal spending programmes.
	Detailed consideration was given to the value for money offered by a proposal which would have seen the land returned to forestry. The Department concluded that insufficient quantifiable efficiencies arose in excess of those offered by the use of normal spending methods, and as a consequence, the Department felt unable to progress this proposal further.
	The Department concluded that the maximum economic value should be accepted in the case of this disposal.
	For reasons of commercial confidence and contractual negotiation, the Department is unable to identify the preferred bidder at this time. The details of the successful purchaser will become a public record at the Land Registry upon completion of the sale.
	It is understood the land will remain in agricultural use.

Sugar: Subsidies

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid to farmers for the production of a pound of sugar on the most recent date for which figures are available; what subsidy was available per pound for exporting sugar; what tariff was applied per pound import of sugar from outside the EU; what national derogations from the EU sugar regime are in place; and how revenue from sugar imports is allocated.

Jonathan R Shaw: Council Regulation (EC) No. 318/2006 sets a minimum price of €29.78 per tonne for raw sugar beet supplied by farmers in the 2007-08 marketing year. It is important to note that this is a minimum price; the actual price is subject to commercial agreements between British Sugar and their growers, for which there are no official figures.
	Export subsidies are the subject of competitive tender. The most recent tender took place on 13 March 2008, resulting in a maximum export refund for successful bidders of €32.947 per 100 kg.
	Imports of both white sugar and raw cane sugar are subject to a range of controls depending upon the country of origin. Duty-free import regimes exist between the EU and a wide range of developing countries through the Sugar Protocol and Everything But Arms arrangements. In circumstances where an import duty is payable, this is currently set at €33.9 per 100 kg for raw sugar for refining and €41.9 per 100 kg for white sugar. Import duties on all commodities are collected by HM Revenue and Customs on behalf of the Exchequer.
	The EU sugar regime is applicable in all member states, including the United Kingdom.
	In each case above, the prices are set in Euros and metric weights.

Sustainable Development: Aviation

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether  (a) he,  (b) his Ministers and  (c) his officials have met representatives of (i) Friends of the Earth, (ii) Greenpeace, (iii) WWF-UK, (iv) Airportwatch, (v) Stop Stansted Expansion, (vi) Plane Stupid, (vii) the Aviation Environment Federation, (viii) Enoughsenough, (ix) Hacan Clearskies, (x) the Campaign to Protect Rural England, (xi) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and (xii) the Woodland Trust to discuss issues related to the sustainable growth of aviation in the UK in the last six months; and how often such meetings have taken place.

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times Ministers or officials from his Department have met representatives of  (a) Friends of the Earth,  (b) Greenpeace,  (c) WWF,  (d) Aviation Environment Federation,  (e) AirportWatch,  (f) HACAN Clearskies,  (g) Stop Stansted Expansion,  (h) Plane Stupid,  (i) the Commission for the Protection of Rural England,  (j) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds,  (k) The Woodland Trust and  (l) Enoughsenough to discuss the environmental impact of aviation since September 2007.

Phil Woolas: Ministers and officials have met on several occasions with key stakeholders to discuss various issues including aviation.
	Of particular note is my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn)'s launch of the Climate Change Bill in October 2007. Representatives from several organisations attended. Aviation growth was referred to during the question and answer session which followed.
	In addition, the Secretary of State and myself attended a meeting in December 2007 before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change talks in Bali with representatives from Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund UK and others.

Waste Management: Finance

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what funding has been provided to local authorities in Northern Ireland from the waste and resources action programme in the last five years;
	(2)  what support the waste and resources action programme has given to local authorities in Northern Ireland in the last 24 months.

Joan Ruddock: The waste and resources action programme (WRAP) do receive funding from Northern Ireland to carry out work commissioned by the Northern Ireland Executive. The funding is dependent on the amount and value of the work carried out on its behalf, which is agreed between WRAP and the Northern Ireland Executive and is a devolved matter.

Waste Management: Landfill

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount of waste per person sent to landfill in each local authority area in England in each year since 1997.

Joan Ruddock: The amount of municipal waste per person sent to landfill by local authorities with a waste disposal duty in England are shown in the following table. These data are reported annually to DEFRA by local authorities through WasteDataFlow (for 2004-5 onwards) and through the Municipal Waste Management Survey for earlier years. 2004-5 was a pilot year for WasteDataFlow and therefore complete data are not available. Data for 1997-8 are not available at individual local authority level.
	Most municipal waste (an average of around 87 per cent. in England) is from household sources. However, some waste sent to landfills is from non-municipal sources such as the commercial, industrial and construction sectors, and this is not included in these figures. The estimates for each local authority represent the amount which is collected in their area and then sent for disposal in landfill regardless of the landfill site's location.
	Population estimates for each local authority for each year are those published by the Office for National Statistics.
	
		
			  Municipal waste to landfill, per person 
			  Government region  Authority  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 North East Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council 504 515 520 512 526 531 527 513 564 
			 North East Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 547 513 514 576 617 584 n/a 546 558 
			 North East Middlesbrough Borough Council 498 483 486 492 528 523 562 557 638 
			 North East Hartlepool Borough Council 505 514 533 558 550 568 617 588 602 
			 North East Darlington Borough Council 520 608 617 672 732 676 n/a 643 684 
			 North East Durham County Council 576 577 602 617 647 650 n/a 612 604 
			 North East Northumberland County Council 477 504 580 611 646 640 n/a 588 594 
			 North East Sunderland City Council 491 529 546 581 614 588 572 567 569 
			 North East South Tyneside MBC 461 472 481 508 519 556 n/a 614 607 
			 North East North Tyneside Council 471 481 515 600 627 635 695 699 666 
			 North East Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council MBC 590 441 471 668 667 660 n/a 656 649 
			 North East Gateshead MBC 788 903 930 958 1,096 1,042 625 594 582 
			 North West Warrington Borough Council 614 626 612 594 647 588 n/a 577 583 
			 North West Halton Borough Council 550 570 606 604 634 662 n/a 623 625 
			 North West Cheshire County Council 575 623 659 642 665 647 n/a 643 635 
			 North West Cumbria County Council 531 594 570 584 682 673 n/a 724 708 
			 North West Wigan MBC 597 547 535 676 744 855 845 744 671 
			 North West Greater Manchester WDA (MBC) 539 562 578 649 661 674 n/a 571 596 
			 North West Blackpool Borough Council 575 637 637 644 628 660 n/a 602 590 
			 North West Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 494 503 507 551 555 551 622 578 556 
			 North West Lancashire County Council 514 577 578 587 586 571 n/a 569 580 
			 North West Merseyside WDA (MBC) 523 568 570 587 611 611 n/a 616 633 
			 Yorkshire/Humber East Riding of Yorkshire Council 550 557 558 599 615 623 647 626 640 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Kingston-upon-Hull City Council 541 585 576 563 600 611 623 583 561 
			 Yorkshire/Humber North East Lincolnshire Council 461 566 540 564 579 594 n/a 594 583 
			 Yorkshire/Humber North Lincolnshire Council 646 665 641 671 696 689 685 646 649 
			 Yorkshire/Humber York City Council 592 622 609 630 645 646 n/a 639 638 
			 Yorkshire/Humber North Yorkshire County Council 557 621 646 652 661 663 n/a 644 658 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Sheffield City Council 482 536 518 572 467 450 479 478 476 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Rotherham MBC 645 587 620 603 536 530 554 536 541 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Doncaster MBC 621 643 709 688 722 639 685 663 639 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Barnsley MBC 593 644 637 662 603 598 n/a 604 589 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Leeds City Council MBC 484 537 546 545 560 509 n/a 506 489 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Kirklees MBC 650 645 640 627 622 590 614 607 595 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Wakefield City MDC 618 635 663 672 641 624 n/a 611 608 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Bradford City MDC (MBC) 481 522 566 571 617 634 n/a 547 564 
			 Yorkshire/Humber Calderdale MBC 513 387 435 548 565 532 481 468 469 
			 E Midlands Derby City Council 498 484 499 529 549 546 n/a 542 563 
			 E Midlands Derbyshire County Council 502 464 528 543 538 534 n/a 525 536 
			 E Midlands Rutland County Council 596 609 591 585 571 536 548 557 542 
			 E Midlands Leicester City Council 427 486 496 517 530 612 n/a 511 518 
			 E Midlands Leicestershire County Council 578 558 567 584 605 596 n/a 598 591 
			 E Midlands Lincolnshire County Council 461 501 499 524 512 516 n/a 542 533 
			 E Midlands Northamptonshire County Council 524 577 576 601 616 571 n/a 569 587 
			 E Midlands Nottingham City Council 580 600 592 663 696 679 n/a 672 712 
			 E Midlands Nottinghamshire County Council 576 592 595 626 616 613 n/a 576 578 
			 W Midlands Herefordshire Council 409 497 489 524 593 594 607 561 574 
			 W Midlands Worcestershire County Council 520 564 564 565 587 587 n/a 568 576 
			 W Midlands Telford and Wrekin Council 561 655 637 609 593 560 588 566 578 
			 W Midlands Shropshire County Council 548 587 587 614 592 586 n/a 608 621 
			 W Midlands Stoke-on-Trent City Council 533 558 551 568 604 613 631 591 569 
			 W Midlands Staffordshire County Council 548 597 577 589 599 589 n/a 547 581 
			 W Midlands Warwickshire County Council 530 546 545 579 578 570 n/a 585 606 
			 W Midlands Wolverhampton MBC 547 543 521 671 719 679 n/a 634 620 
			 W Midlands Walsall MBC 514 538 590 573 596 583 610 593 568 
			 W Midlands Solihull MBC 456 408 449 512 477 486 n/a 505 479 
			 W Midlands Sandwell MBC 443 449 475 519 541 560 n/a 526 488 
			 W Midlands Dudley MBC 422 444 451 435 464 458 n/a 457 471 
			 W Midlands Coventry City Council 550 605 597 607 607 597 n/a 598 586 
			 W Midlands Birmingham City Council 546 544 546 548 540 544 n/a 555 574 
			 Eastern Luton Borough Council 495 529 527 561 552 566 531 532 563 
			 Eastern Bedfordshire County Council 584 618 570 649 626 592 n/a 554 542 
			 Eastern Peterborough City Council 471 540 540 560 586 579 630 631 635 
			 Eastern Cambridgeshire County Council 454 489 488 510 496 498 n/a 551 565 
			 Eastern Thurrock Council 560 542 453 503 663 519 513 510 537 
			 Eastern Southend-on-Sea Borough Council 602 578 606 595 618 591 n/a 544 550 
			 Eastern Essex County Council 531 526 585 554 553 545 n/a 546 543 
			 Eastern Hertfordshire County Council 493 520 520 546 537 521 n/a 543 564 
			 Eastern Norfolk County Council 515 540 530 539 540 511 n/a 505 502 
			 Eastern Suffolk County Council 554 550 555 574 574 568 n/a 565 617 
			 London Bexley LB 511 572 642 644 676 604 614 612 610 
			 London Tower Hamlets LB 463 486 500 499 513 500 n/a 482 503 
			 London City of London 11,886 10,777 10,361 9,427 8,199 6,782 5,713 4,817 5,685 
			 London Westminster City Council 1,405 1,350 1,250 1,116 1,022 964 929 773 828 
			 London East London Waste Authority 574 482 612 620 620 575 n/a 554 555 
			 London North London Waste Authority 542 570 576 569 574 576 n/a 568 570 
			 London Southwark LB 513 494 525 514 525 531 n/a 536 518 
			 London Lewisham LB 445 520 518 505 465 552 n/a 572 554 
			 London Greenwich LB 521 605 708 631 605 554 529 488 523 
			 London Sutton LB 472 574 531 507 528 556 n/a 563 516 
			 London Merton LB 578 608 525 526 543 526 n/a 494 487 
			 London Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames 504 574 560 544 550 511 n/a 517 486 
			 London Croydon LB 526 571 619 583 612 591 n/a 545 563 
			 London Bromley LB 516 647 646 667 608 578 n/a 580 569 
			 London West London Waste Authority 587 593 583 598 603 593 n/a 563 553 
			 London Western Riverside Waste Authority 589 599 599 585 571 549 n/a 499 515 
			 S East Wokingham Council 454 499 499 512 449 502 514 490 497 
			 S East Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council 650 651 632 671 657 615 534 528 511 
			 S East Slough Borough Council 550 463 497 568 557 630 566 514 523 
			 S East Reading Borough Council 522 574 585 625 624 582 580 552 544 
			 S East West Berkshire District Council 563 558 564 579 618 549 n/a 563 576 
			 S East Bracknell Forest Borough Council 510 512 522 652 544 532 646 604 574 
			 S East Milton Keynes Council 447 453 446 543 545 544 575 576 595 
			 S East Buckinghamshire County Council 506 535 531 550 563 554 n/a 557 554 
			 S East Brighton and Hove Council 485 538 455 464 461 462 n/a 443 450 
			 S East East Sussex County Council 504 519 560 534 547 547 n/a 556 549 
			 S East Southampton City Council 472 498 495 508 541 532 n/a 563 534 
			 S East Portsmouth City Council 488 533 535 517 502 451 462 461 440 
			 S East Hampshire County Council 512 547 554 562 566 547 n/a 542 557 
			 S East Isle of Wight Council 485 582 560 586 606 607 570 580 599 
			 S East Medway Borough Council 479 502 484 545 535 546 561 560 544 
			 S East Kent County Council 508 534 542 563 586 597 n/a 592 586 
			 S East Oxfordshire County Council 497 503 493 517 527 503 n/a 501 539 
			 S East Surrey County Council 564 523 545 558 568 589 n/a 575 567 
			 S East West Sussex County Council 570 633 648 614 611 599 n/a 598 604 
			 S West Council of the Isles of Scilly 1,869 1,805 1,708 1,668 1,633 1,765 1,646 1,721 1,592 
			 S West Bath and North East Somerset Council 479 506 584 574 592 610 620 571 567 
			 S West Bristol City Council 460 485 485 507 528 516 501 478 446 
			 S West Cornwall County Council 517 539 556 571 584 602 n/a 624 624 
			 S West Torbay Council 485 499 479 640 532 538 626 616 604 
			 S West Plymouth City Council 624 604 666 711 690 652 n/a 670 626 
			 S West Devon County Council 504 532 545 573 587 570 n/a 584 591 
			 S West Poole Borough Council 588 644 647 669 688 631 704 703 711 
			 S West Bournemouth Borough Council 689 666 677 676 721 664 n/a 627 604 
			 S West Dorset County Council 536 528 536 544 565 550 n/a 559 575 
			 S West Gloucestershire County Council 468 481 487 491 503 511 n/a 541 565 
			 S West North Somerset Council 513 543 560 604 612 581 616 584 547 
			 S West Somerset County Council 529 558 575 610 669 646 n/a 580 588 
			 S West South Gloucestershire Council 547 581 553 549 558 550 671 584 586 
			 S West Swindon Borough Council 432 452 459 558 453 495 519 501 527 
			 S West Wiltshire County Council 484 501 500 555 574 575 n/a 580 587 
			  Source:  WasteDataFlow for 2004-5 onwards, Municipal Waste Management Survey for earlier years. ONS mid year population estimates. 2004-5 was a pilot year for WDF and hence data are not available for all authorities. Data are municipal waste collected and sent for disposal in landfill by each local authority.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maximum  (a) loaded weight and  (b) take-off weight is for all variants of the CH-47 helicopter used by British forces in Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: The RAF currently operates two variants of CH47, the Mk2 and Mk2a. The maximum take-off mass is the same for both CH47 variants and is 22,700 kg for internal loads. When underslung loads are carried, the maximum take-off mass is increased to 24,500 kg. These figures are dependent upon prevailing environmental conditions and the altitudes.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maximum period is that UK forces in Afghanistan have subsisted on 24-hour operational ration packs alone.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, a recent study commissioned by the MOD found that there are no nutritional reasons why complete UK 24-hour operational ration packs should not be consumed indefinitely by deployed forces.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions forward operating bases in Afghanistan have gone for longer than a week without a resupply of fresh rations in the last 12 months; what the reasons were in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate effort. But we have had no reports of any significant shortages in the supply of food to UK service personnel in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many forward operating bases in Afghanistan are supported by  (a) the Royal Logistics Corps and  (b) contract caterers.

Bob Ainsworth: 10 forward operating bases are currently supported by service catering personnel, predominantly, but not exclusively, drawn from the Royal Logistics Corps.
	Two of these forward operating bases are also supported by UK contracted personnel who are employed on catering support tasks such as food preparation.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints his Department received from families of service personnel concerning medical treatment of armed forces' personnel in the last year.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 6 March 2008
	Armed forces personnel can receive a wide range of medical treatment, from life-saving care on the battlefield and in field hospitals, through in-patient treatment in NHS hospitals in the UK, to out-patient care at numerous military primary care facilities across the UK and overseas, including regional rehabilitation and mental health facilities. It follows from this that complaints about medical treatment can be made at a number of levels. For patients treated in a NHS hospital the complaint will be made to, and dealt with by, the operating NHS trust. As military patients can be treated in any NHS hospital, details of all complaints could be obtained only by contacting each NHS trust in the UK individually, and this could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	Complaints about primary health care provided at military medical centres across the country will usually be dealt with at a regional level. Details are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Housing

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department assesses the accommodation requirements of service personnel; how often this assessment is reviewed; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Accommodation requirements are driven by personnel policy, including terms and conditions of service, societal trends (such as the increase or decrease in home ownership and marriage), changing force structures, including repatriation of forces and major initiatives such as the Defence Training Review.
	Service living accommodation requirements are assessed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) at a strategic, command and local level to ensure that, where ever possible, good quality living accommodation is provided to service personnel in the right locations to meet current and future defence requirements.
	A worldwide audit for all accommodation, both single living accommodation (SLA) and service family accommodation (SFA) is carried out annually to confirm current take-up rates and grading data. Single service requirements are included in the MOD's estate development plans which are regularly updated. Moreover, on a unit-by-unit basis, future SLA requirements are updated on a six-monthly basis.
	For SFA in Great Britain, requirements are constantly monitored at a local level by Defence Estates, while the service planning assumptions and policy changes that drive potential changes in future demand for SFA are reviewed quarterly.

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Answer of 30 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 1348-49W, on military housing, how many thefts have been reported in his Department's empty houses for  (a) single living accommodation and  (b) service families accommodation in the last 12 months.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Military Decorations

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-blood relatives of servicemen who had been posthumously awarded service medals received medals on their relative's behalf in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Pay

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the commitment bonus is  (a) tax free,  (b) tax free while serving in an area which qualifies for the operational allowance,  (c) paid in full with one lump sum and  (d) paid incrementally over a period of time.

Des Browne: The commitment bonus is paid to service personnel below officer level and is subject to income tax and national insurance contributions. This applies irrespective of where an individual is serving at the time that payment is made.
	Currently, the commitment bonus is paid as a single lump sum of £5,500 or in two stages which, if an individual qualifies for both, total £5,500. Under the revised arrangements to be introduced next year, announced in my written ministerial statement on 19 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 65-66WS, payments will range between £3,750 and £15,000 which can be claimed as a lump sum at different lengths of service from four (or five) to eight years, with higher payments the longer the individual has served. Those who take a payment before eight years, but then give additional service, will be allowed to take a second payment, but the overall amount received will be reduced to reflect the decision to take part of the payment early, thus providing the incentive to wait and take a larger sum later.

Armed Forces: Scotland

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officer recruiters are operating in Scotland; how many personnel are detached from the Field Army for unofficial recruiting duties in Scotland; and how many recruits successfully passed  (a) into and  (b) out of training last year in Scotland.

Bob Ainsworth: There are currently 22 officer recruiters working in Scotland, and 122 Army personnel working in unestablished recruiting posts.
	In 2006-07, 1,073 individuals, who had been recruited for the Army through an Armed Forces Careers or Army Careers Information Office in Scotland, commenced Phase 1 training or the combined Phase I/Phase 2 Infantry training at Catterick. In the same year 485 recruits completed basic training and 463 recruits completed the combined Phase I/Phase 2 Infantry training.
	However there is no direct correlation between these inflow and outflow figures for some of those who completed their Phase 1 training or the combined Phase I/Phase 2 Infantry training in 2006-07 will have commenced their training in 2005-06 or earlier. Moreover some of those who enlisted in 2006-07 will not have completed their Phase 1 training or the combined Phase I/Phase 2 Infantry training within that year.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for procuring additional armoured cars.

Bob Ainsworth: I am assuming "armoured cars" to mean lightweight armoured wheeled scout vehicles. We provide our forces with a range of vehicles spanning a wide spectrum of protection levels, mobility, profile and armament, depending on their tasks. Vehicles like the CVR(T), WMIK and Panther undertake the sort of tasks that armoured cars might have undertaken. We have no current plans to procure a light, armoured, wheeled scout vehicle.

Army: Deployment

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers were on active operations overseas in each year since 1997; and what percentage of the Army this represented in each year.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the number and percentage of UK army personnel deployed on operations at a specific point in time.
	
		
			   Number deployed on operations  Percentage of trained strength( 1)  deployed 
			 4 January 2006 7,900 8.1 
			 1 January 2007 9,200 9.7 
			 3 January 2008 9,400 10.0 
			 (1) Trained strength as at 1 January in each year. 
		
	
	Due to the manual nature of the data collection, comparable reliable figures are not available prior to December 2005 when a review of the data collation process was undertaken.

Ballistic Missile Defence

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the anti-terrorist unit patrolling RAF Menwith Hill has cost the Ministry of Defence Police Agency in each year since such patrols began.

Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding the cost of the Ministry of Defence police deployed at RAF Menwith Hill for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

Ballistic Missile Defence

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on what date the space based infra-red system at RAF Menwith Hill became operational;
	(2)  on what date work began on the installation of equipment at RAF Menwith Hill as part of the US ballistic missile defense system.

Des Browne: Installation of ground terminal equipment at RAF Menwith Hill to allow missile early warning data to be received from the Space Based Infra Red Satellites (SBIRS) was initiated following the then Government's agreement to the plan in March 1997. The eventual operational date for the SBIRS system is a matter for the US Government.
	The necessary components to allow the downlink at RAF Menwith Hill to route satellite early warning data to the US Ballistic Missile Defence system arrived in September 2007, and were installed in November 2007.

Ballistic Missile Defence

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the component of the US ballistic missile defence system at RAF Fylingdales became operational.

Des Browne: The upgrade of the radar and associated systems at RAF Fylingdales to allow it to operate as part of the US ballistic missile defence system was completed on 9 August 2007.

Civil Servants: Pay

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's civil servants have been recipients of the Civil Service Injury Benefit Scheme in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: Information prior to 2000 is not available. The number of civil servants in the Ministry of Defence receiving awards under the scheme is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2000 95 
			 2001 71 
			 2002 47 
			 2003 72 
			 2004 54 
			 2005 72 
			 2006 46 
			 2007 42

Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former residential properties of his Department in Colchester constituency were sold in each year since their acquisition by Annington Estates.

Derek Twigg: 1,394 properties in the Colchester area were included in the 1996 sale and leaseback agreement with Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL). Since 1996, the sale and timing of the sale of those properties has been a matter for the company, and the Department has no relevant information.
	However, since 1996, we have returned properties to AHL as follows:
	
		
			   Number returned to AHL 
			 2002 136 
			 2003 45 
			 2004 40 
			 2005 35

Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many of his Department's residential properties there are in Colchester constituency; how many there were at the time Annington Estates acquired them; and on what date the acquisition was completed;
	(2)  what the average price was for his Department's dwellings in Colchester constituency paid by Annington Estates.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) sold the majority of its service families accommodation (SFA) in England and Wales to Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL). The sale was completed on 5 November 1996. These properties were then leased by the MOD until it no longer has a use for them and they are returned to AHL for disposal on the open market.
	Under the Sale Agreement, the 1,394 SFA properties in the Colchester area were sold to AHL in 1996 at an average cost of £24,888 per property. 1,093 of these properties are still leased by the MOD.

Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the proceeds from the sale of his Department's former housing and other land in Colchester constituency, subsequently sold by Annington Estates, were passed to the Government in each year since such sales have taken place; what this represented as a percentage of the sale price in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Under the terms of the 1996 Sale Agreement with Annington Homes Limited (AHL), the Exchequer receives a percentage of any profit the company makes on the subsequent disposal of houses and land returned to it.
	The amounts received in each financial year since then are:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ million 
			 1997-98 2.3 
			 1998-99 3.5 
			 1999-2000 6.8 
			 2000-01 8.0 
			 2001-02 16.8 
			 2002-03 29.9 
			 2003-04 29.9 
			 2004-05 15.2 
			 2005-06 18.4 
			 2006-07 15.0 
			 2007-08 (1)8.20 
			 Total 154.00 
			 (1) 1 April to 31 December 2007 
		
	
	Information is not held in a way that allows the elements relating to individual areas to be separately identified.

Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much his Department paid Annington Estates in each year for improvements and modernisation of residential dwellings in Colchester constituency in each year since the company acquired the properties;
	(2)  how much his Department has paid Annington Estates in  (a) rent and  (b) costs of maintenance for residential dwellings in Colchester constituency in each year since the company acquired the properties.

Derek Twigg: The rental figures paid to Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL) for properties in the Colchester area are as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 1996 1,014,874 
			 1997 2,528,528 
			 1998 2,528,528 
			 1999 2,672,679 
			 2000 3,106,308 
			 2001 3,103,571 
			 2002 2,870,260 
			 2003 2,762,019 
			 2004 2,894,323 
			 2005 3,482,606 
			 2006 3,501,882 
			 2007 3,556,308 
		
	
	After the sale of the houses to AHL in 1996, the Department retained responsibility for their maintenance and upgrade. Consequently no moneys are paid to AHL for such costs in regard to properties leased for Service use.

Defence Equipment and Support: Manpower

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the effects of the merger of the Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation have been on overall staff numbers.

Bob Ainsworth: The decision to merge the Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation was not numbers driven and as such has had no direct impact on staff numbers. Since merger however, DE and S has been looking for ways to become more effective and as a result, this is likely to reduce the size of the organisation.

Defence Equipment and Support: Standards

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets have been set for Defence Equipment and Support; and how its performance against those targets will be reported.

Bob Ainsworth: With the exception of the Departmental Public Service Agreement Target for Equipment Procurement to which Defence Equipment and Support (DE and S) contributes, no formal externally reported targets have been established for the first year of operation of DE and S. The first year of operation has been used to develop and test a performance management regime with associated shadow targets which will be used to inform formal targets as they are established for 2008-09. Performance against the individual measures and targets, once they are agreed, will be reported within the Department's performance reporting framework.

Departmental Empty Property

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unoccupied properties are  (a) rented and  (b) owned by his Department in each constituency in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) England; when this figure was last updated; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Empty Property

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps Ministry of Defence police are taking to monitor his Department's empty properties and protect them against theft or vandalism.

Derek Twigg: Empty or void service family accommodation (SFA) in England and Wales is managed by Defence Estates through Modern Housing Solutions (MHS). MHS are required to monitor and carry out periodical inspections of void properties.
	The Ministry of Defence police (MDP) will carry out random routine patrols and investigations where tasked to do so. This can take place in various ways, for example through unit beat officers patrolling SFA estates, by an establishment requesting particular policing services, or by MDP acting on specific local intelligence.

Departmental ICT

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 95W, on departmental ICT, when he expects the investigation into the details of all lost or stolen computers since 2003 to be completed; and when he expects to be able to write to hon. Members following collation of the information.

Des Browne: The investigation into details of computers and other electronic media lost/stolen since 2003 is continuing. When complete, the collated data will be provided to Sir Edmund Burton as part of his review and will form part of the evidence base for his report which is due to be submitted by the end of April 2008.
	I will keep the House informed on the outcome of Sir Edmund's review once his findings have been consolidated.

Departmental Property

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedure is followed by his Department with regard to the sale of departmental accommodation; what role local consultation plays in this procedure; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: When the Ministry of Defence (MOD) no longer has a need for land and property it is first offered to other Government Departments and public bodies for alternate use. Otherwise, providing there are no former owner considerations under the "Crichel Down" rules, it is usual MOD policy to sell surplus land and property on the open market, in accordance with Treasury guidelines, using competition to achieve the best price. In order to maximise value, we will consult with the local planning authority and other stakeholders to achieve the optimum planning position for the site particularly where there is redevelopment potential, such as for housing or commercial use.
	The majority of service family accommodation (SFA) properties in England and Wales were sold to a Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL) in 1996 and then leased to the MOD until they are surplus to defence requirements and are handed back to AHL for disposal. Other surplus SFA in the UK is disposed of in accordance with Treasury guidelines at market value. Where the opportunity exists for a bulk sale of SFA at market value, the MOD will discuss the way forward with the appropriate local authorities, registered social landlords and, in Scotland, the Scottish Executive.

Departmental Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department plans to publish its sustainable operations policy statement.

Derek Twigg: The overarching policy statement on Safety, Health, Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development in the Ministry of Defence was approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 18 March 2008. I will place a copy in the Library of the House.

Falkland Islands: Military Bases

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much it cost to maintain the Falkland Islands garrison in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by category of expenditure.

Bob Ainsworth: In financial year 2006-07, the cost of maintaining the garrison on the Falkland Islands to the Chief of Joint Operations (CJO), who is responsible for maintaining UK forces there, was £65 million, broken down by category as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Personnel 31.3 
			 Infrastructure 8.6 
			 Stock/Other Consumption (including fuel costs) 15.8 
			 Equipment Support 2.8 
			 Other costs (including transport costs) 6.5 
		
	
	This is a much lower figure than that reported in previous years because, as a consequence of a change in MOD accounting policy, CJO is no longer responsible for reporting fixed asset depreciation costs and the cost of capital on fixed assets.

Gurkhas: Nepal

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many Nepalese nationals have served in the Brigade of Gurkhas since 1997;
	(2)  how many Nepalese nationals have served in the Brigade of Gurkhas since 1978.

Bob Ainsworth: Including those who are still serving, approximately 17,840 Nepalese nationals have served in the Brigade of Gurkhas since 1978, of which 6,277 have served since 1997.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the oral answer of 22 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1138, on the al-Jameat police station, what reports he has received of the steps taken by the Iraqi Government against the members of the serious crime unit.

Des Browne: The Basra police continue to work to enforce and execute the arrest warrants issued for members of the former Serious Crimes Unit of the Basra police.

Prisoners of War: Compensation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to reimburse protected personnel for deductions made from their pay while held as prisoners of war in Germany; and what criteria he uses to determine the entitlement of protected personnel to compensation for periods spent as prisoners of war during the Second World War.

Derek Twigg: The deductions made from the home pay accounts of Protected Personnel held in Europe during the Second World War were considered during a detailed review undertaken by MOD during the 1990s. The outcome of the review was announced by the then Under-Secretary of State on 24 July 1997,  Official Report, column 720W, and a copy of the report of the review was placed in the Library of the House. Ministers ruled that there were no grounds to re-open the issue and no new aspects have since been raised to justify any change to this policy.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2712W, on Sudan: peacekeeping operations, which United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur troop contributing countries have  (a) requested and  (b) received assistance with (i) the provision of equipment and (ii) training packages; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Some countries that have agreed to contribute troops to the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) require assistance to enable them to deploy. The UK will play its part in providing that assistance. In announcing the National Security Strategy, the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK will support with £4 million an international programme to train and equip African troops for UNAMID. The training and equipment needs have yet to be finalised, and we continue to work closely with the UN and partners to agree the full package needed.

Territorial Army: Manpower

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) the ceiling on personnel numbers and  (b) the actual strength of the Territorial Army was in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The ceiling on personnel numbers has been determined to be the maximum number of personnel to be maintained as agreed by Parliament through the Votes A mechanism. The maximum numbers for each of the last 10 years and the actual strength of the Territorial Army for those years in which records are held, as at the 1 April of each year, are set out the following table.
	
		
			   Maximum number of TA personnel  Actual strength of TA personnel 
			 1998 59,000 — 
			 1999 51,820 — 
			 2000 47,795 — 
			 2001 47,000 — 
			 2002 47,000 — 
			 2003 47,000 — 
			 2004 47,000 38,320 
			 2005 47,000 37,260 
			 2006 47,000 38,460 
			 2007 47,000 36,790 
			  Note: Figures for actual strength of TA personnel prior to 2004 are not held centrally.

Territorial Army: Yorkshire and the Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army soldiers from Yorkshire and the Humber saw active service abroad in each year since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Type 23 Frigates: Costs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, column 668W, on Type 23 Frigate, what the reasons are for the cost of  (a) HMS Portland and  (b) HMS Sutherland relative to the average cost of the other ships in the class; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: In order to establish the reasons for the variation in costs of HM Ships Portland and Sutherland from the Type 23 Class average, it would be necessary to investigate historic contract information that is no longer held centrally by the MOD and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the procedures are for deciding the basis on which  (a) new classes of warship and  (b) individual warships are named;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to recommend that the Future Surface Combatant flotilla should consist of warships named after escort vessels with distinguished records of service in the two world wars;
	(3)  if he will make an assessment of the impact on the  (a) continuity of naval tradition and  (b) motivation of ships' companies of naming warships after predecessors with past battle honours.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ships Names and Badges Committee has the task of assessing all the possible names for new ships before making their recommendations through the First Sea Lord and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence for final approval by Her Majesty the Queen.
	A new class of Royal Navy warships will have a theme as advised by the First Sea Lord in consultation with the Controller of the Navy. Names of individual ships will be informed by a number of guiding principles including: names associated with a long and illustrious heritage, tradition, Battle Honours and names classically associated with a type of vessel.
	The Future Surface Combatant is in the early stages of concept design and a theme for the names will not be considered for some time. Nothing is being ruled out at this stage and names of escort warships with distinguished records of service in the two world wars would fall within the guiding principles for naming Royal Navy warships and will be considered.
	Naval tradition is intrinsic to the values of the Royal Navy and this extends to the naming of its warships. The naming of Royal Navy warships associated with an illustrious heritage instils a sense of pride, tradition and esteem in today's Royal Navy personnel.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Departmental Advertising

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 685W, on departmental advertising, how much is represented by the percentages given.

Tom Watson: Advertising costs since 1998-99 can be found in the following table:
	
		
			   £000 
			 1998-99 138 
			 1999-2000 300 
			 2000-01 464 
			 2001-02 2,708 
			 2002-03 395 
			 2003-04 282 
			 2004-05 340 
			 2005-06 406 
			 2006-07 375 
		
	
	The increase in advertising spend in 2001-02 was due to expenditure incurred by the Office of the E-Envoy (now known as Transformational Government) for the UK online advertising campaign, encouraging the public to use the internet, and offering help to those who wanted to do so.

Departmental Aviation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Cabinet Office spent on domestic and international air travel in 2006-07, broken down by class of travel.

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much his Department spent on travel  (a) within the UK and  (b) overseas in the last year for which figures are available.

Tom Watson: Expenditure incurred by the Cabinet Office on domestic and international air travel is not held centrally and is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Contracts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contracts were awarded by his Department to  (a) KPMG,  (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers,  (c) Ernst and Young,  (d) McKinsey,  (e) Deloitte and  (f) other consultancy firms in each of the last 12 months; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) value was of each of these contracts.

Tom Watson: The information requested for the Cabinet Office is not readily available and may not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  whether personal data for which his Department is responsible are  (a) stored and  (b) processed overseas; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what audits his Department carried out in relation to personal data and IT equipment in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  what requirements his Department and its agencies place on contractors in relation to audit of personal data and IT equipment.

Tom Watson: None of the personal data for which the Cabinet Office is responsible are stored or processed overseas.
	The Cabinet Office operates in accordance with the Manual of Protective Security and the Data Protection Act. Measures are in place to monitor the personal data the Department holds. A full audit of centrally provided IT equipment was undertaken in January 2007, since then a monthly review is held to agree any changes. Information prior to January 2007 is not held centrally.
	The Cabinet Office requires its contractors to comply with their obligations under the provisions of the Data Protection Act which includes taking appropriate technical and organisational measures against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data and ensures the security of such data.

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the hourly rates of pay of all non-permanent staff working for his Department and its agencies were in each of the last 12 months; and how many staff were receiving each rate in each of those months.

Tom Watson: From latest available figures as at 31 December 2007, there were 182 non-permanent staff (FTE) working in the Cabinet Office. This figure includes staff on a fixed term or short-term appointment, staff seconded in from outside the civil service, fee-paid staff, agency staff, consultants and contractors.
	Rates of pay for non-permanent appointments are not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

Furniture: 10 Downing Street

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what  (a) office furniture and (b) home furnishings in number 10 Downing street have been (i) bought and (ii) replaced since 1 October 2007.

Tom Watson: Information on the cost of office furniture and furnishings will only be available when the Department's resource accounts are fully audited and laid before Parliament.

Government Departments: Data Protection

Maria Miller: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance his Department provides to Government Departments wishing to undertake a risk assessment of the security of new and existing IT systems; what obligations there are on Government Departments to follow that guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: The National Information Assurance Strategy 2007 produced by the Cabinet Office states that Departments must have clear and accountable ownership of information risk management at board level.
	Guidance is provided through the Manual of Protective Security issued by the Cabinet Office.
	In publishing the Data Handling Procedures in Government: Interim Progress Report (the written statement of 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 98WS), the Government announced that departmental accounting officers should explicitly include the systematic coverage of information assurance in their annual statements on internal control. A final report is expected in spring 2008.

Government Departments: Internet

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance his Department issues to other Government Departments on their use of the Completely Automated Public Turing Tests to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHAs); and which Departments' websites use CAPTCHAs.

Tom Watson: The Cabinet Office has issued no specific guidance on CAPTCHAs and it holds no central records of which departmental websites use them. Responsibility for information security and accessibility measures of individual websites lies with the individual Departments.
	The overall policy for Government Departments on website registration is set out in the Registration and Authentication e-Government Strategy Framework Policy and Guidelines (Version 3.0, September 2002):
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/upload/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/csia/regandauthentn0209v3.pdf
	Government websites should also comply with the Government's website accessibility guidelines:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/upload/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publications/government_it/consultations/pdf/delivering_inclusive_websites1.pdf
	Copies of both these documents have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

ICT: Leasing

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for what reasons the Cabinet Office negotiated an agreement for the early settlement of the lease for IT equipment with Hitachi Data Systems Ltd; and how many months there were before the natural termination of the lease.

Tom Watson: The reason for early settlement of the Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) lease agreement was to allow the maintenance provisions to be separated from the underlying asset and to take advantage of a reduction to lease charges of £34,000. The maintenance provisions have been rescheduled so that they can be reused in other Government projects where HDS assets are involved at no additional cost. The lease was settled 21 months before it naturally expired.

Michael Ashcroft

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the appeal procedure in respect of the Freedom of Information request from the hon. Member for Pendle in relation to the undertaking given by Michael Ashcroft prior to his elevation to the peerage will be concluded; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: The appeal procedure has now been completed and a response sent to the hon. Member.

Political Office: Prime Minister

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what sub-divisions of the Prime Minister's Office there are based in  (a) No. 10 Downing Street,  (b) HM Treasury,  (c) the Cabinet Office and  (d) elsewhere.

Tom Watson: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office. All staff in the Prime Minister's Office are based in the Cabinet Office estate, which includes No. 10 Downing Street.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan Security

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the political and security situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, held a joint seminar at Lancaster House on 6 February 2008 and visited Afghanistan together on 7 February 2008. They discussed a full range of issues regarding our shared commitment to supporting the people and the Government of Afghanistan. Since their visit they have been in frequent contact to discuss all aspects of progress in Afghanistan. The UK holds regular dialogue with all our partners in Afghanistan as part of our undertaking to help the Government of Afghanistan build a peaceful and sustainable state.

Balkans: EC Accession

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on proposals for the European Union's further enlargement in the Balkans.

Jim Murphy: The Government remain committed to a future for the Western Balkans in the EU. Working towards EU accession will help the region move away from the conflicts and troubles that have held it back in the past, and consolidate peace and stability. Each state should move towards EU membership by demonstrating progress against the criteria set out in the Stabilisation and Association process and the priorities identified in their individual European or Accession Partnerships. The UK is working with countries in the region to help them make the necessary reforms. We welcome the Commission's 5 March 2008 communication reaffirming 2003 European Council conclusions for a European perspective for the region and proposing practical ways to deepen the EU's relations with the region within the existing €4 billion Instrument for Pre-Accession funding allocated to the Western Balkans between 2007-11.

Burma: Overseas Students

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will increase funding for scholarships in the UK for Burmese students.

Jim Murphy: Against an overall reduction in Chevening funding, the allocation for Burma for 2008-09 remains the same as for 2007-08. This has enabled 12 Burmese scholars to undertake Open university courses. We have no plans at present to increase this allocation, which has been made in accordance with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's global priorities.

Colombia

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the government of Colombia on the proceedings against Diego Montoya.

Kim Howells: The Government have not made representations to the Colombian government regarding the legal proceedings against Diego Montoya. We understand that the US authorities have issued a warrant to have Mr. Montoya extradited to the US—he was one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 10 most wanted criminals.

Colombia

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring and evaluation of UK support provided to the Colombian military his Department conducts; by what mechanisms such monitoring takes place; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: UK assistance to Colombia, which includes support to a range of civil society organisations, the Colombian Government and the armed forces, is focused on improving the difficult human rights situation, preventing the amount of cocaine from reaching the UK's streets and reducing the threats that landmines pose to the Colombian people.
	All British projects in Colombia, as elsewhere, undergo rigorous evaluation before funding is agreed, in areas such as value for money and effectiveness of implementing partners; and carefully monitored whilst projects are under way in terms of proper use of funds, achievement of objectives and outputs. UK staff continually and scrupulously supervise the use of British resources in Colombia to ensure that the highest operational, ethical and human rights standards are maintained in our human rights and counter narcotics work.
	We evaluate that UK assistance is having a positive effect on the issues of most concern in Colombia. The UK has played a key role in working to institutionalise respect for human rights in the Colombian armed forces, so that they operate by the same high standards we demand of our own armed forces. Our counter-narcotics work is tightly focused on helping the Colombians tackle drugs production, trafficking organisations and networks. Our training in humanitarian demining has improved the Colombian Government's ability to remove the landmines that illegal armed groups place to harm innocent civilians.

Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who was consulted before the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals decided veterans should accept, but not wear, the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal.

Meg Munn: Ministers and officials in the Ministry of Defence and Foreign and Commonwealth Office and staff of the Ceremonial Secretariat (Cabinet Office) and Buckingham palace were consulted before the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals took the decision that the medal could be accepted but not worn. The Malaysian authorities were also included in discussions prior to the decision being taken.
	All members of the Committee itself took part in the discussions.

Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations have been received from  (a) veterans' organisations,  (b) individuals and  (c) hon. and right hon. Members calling on the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals to reconsider its advice to HM the Queen on not allowing veterans to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal.

Meg Munn: We have received many representations from individuals, veterans' organisations and hon. Members on this issue. To collate the exact number would incur disproportionate cost.

Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the rules governing the award of foreign honours, decorations and medals were last reviewed.

Meg Munn: The rules governing the award of foreign honours, decorations and medals have been reviewed and revised on a number of occasions over the last 150 years, and were last discussed early in 2007.

Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any past or present members of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals has been awarded and accepted an honour, decoration or medal from a foreign, Commonwealth or UK dependency government.

Meg Munn: The Honours and Decorations Committee dates back to the 1930s. It would incur disproportionate cost to check all potential awards to members dating back to its inception.
	However we are aware of examples, in recent years, of when Her Majesty The Queen's Private Secretaries, who customarily serve on the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals, have received such decorations in their role as senior representative of Her Majesty The Queen in the context of close relations with or visits involving Her Majesty's Realms. As Her Majesty The Queen is Head of State in Realm countries, no permission is required to accept such awards.

EC President

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on the proposed  (a) responsibilities,  (b) duties and  (c) powers of the President of the European Council; if he will place in the Library copies of such representations; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The Government strongly support a full-time President of the European Council, who will replace the current rotating President of the European Council, who changes every six months. The Lisbon treaty is clear (Article 1(16)(6), Consolidated Treaty Article 15(6) Treaty of the European Union) that the full-time President of the European Council will:
	chair the European Council and drive forward its work;
	ensure the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council in cooperation with the President of the Commission, and on the basis of the work of the General Affairs Council;
	endeavour to facilitate cohesion and consensus within the European Council;
	present a report to the European Parliament after each of the meetings of the European Council;
	ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy, without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; and
	assist the General Affairs Council with ensuring follow-up to meetings of the European Council.
	This broadly reflects the current role of the President of the European Council in practice. Having a full-time President of the European Council will bring greater coherence and consistency to the EU's actions; and will give member states greater capacity to give direction and momentum to the EU's agenda.

EC President

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether  (a) hon. Members,  (b) members of the House of Lords and  (c) members of the public will be able to submit nominations for the post of the President of the European Council; what recent representations he has received on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The full-time President of the European Council will be chosen by, and accountable to, the Heads of State or Government.
	Having a full-time President of the European Council will bring greater coherence and consistency to the EU's actions; and will give member states greater capacity to give direction and momentum to the EU's agenda.

EC President

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been received on procedures for the appointment of the President of the European Council; what criteria he proposes to adopt for nominating any candidate for the post of President of the European Council; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The Government support a full-time President of the European Council to replace the current rotating President of the European Council, who changes every six months. He or she will be chosen by heads of state and Government by qualified majority, and will be accountable to them.
	The full-time President of the European Council will not hold a national mandate and will be excluded from holding the post of President of the European Commission at the same time.
	Having a full-time President of the European Council will bring greater coherence and consistency to the EU's actions; and will give member states greater capacity to give direction and momentum to the EU's agenda.

Eritrea: Ethiopia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards the demarcation of the Ethiopia-Eritrea border; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Government regret the lack of any progress made by both Ethiopian and Eritrean Governments on agreeing to demarcate their border or proceeding to demarcation on the ground, as they committed to do when they signed up to the Algiers Agreements of 2000. We repeatedly remind both parties of their responsibility under the Algiers Agreements to make progress on demarcating their border.
	In this regard, we fully support UN Security Council Resolution 1798, adopted unanimously on 30 January 2008, and expect the parties to implement fully all its provisions, including those relating to demarcation of the border.

European Union: Per Capita Costs

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the UK's gross and net contribution to the EU in the most recent financial year for which figures are available; what has been the total gross and net contributions made by the UK since 1978; and what amount per head of UK population these figures represent.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 18 March 2008
	The hon. Member will find estimates of the UK's gross and net contribution, and abatement, to the European Community Budget in the annual European Community Finances White Paper produced by HM Treasury. A copy of this document has been placed in the Library of the House. The Office for National Statistics produces population figures for the UK.

Gaza: Overseas Aid

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of  (a) the ability of international humanitarian organisations to operate in the Gaza Strip in light of current Israeli military operations in the territory and  (b) the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

David Miliband: The operations by the Israel Defence Force in Gaza between 27 February and 3 March made working conditions more difficult for humanitarian organisations. The Palestinian Ministry of Health was particularly stretched to deal with the large number of casualties; a clinic, pharmacy and ambulance of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society were destroyed; and two UN Relief and Works Agency schools were damaged. However, some humanitarian supplies and fuel continued to get into Gaza during this period. International humanitarian organisations currently report that they are able to import items required for immediate relief (e.g. food and medicine), but that items required for longer-term activities continue to encounter long delays or are not getting in at all (e.g. the UN Children's Fund supplies for schools and some spare parts for fixing the water supply system).
	We remain gravely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Essential services, including water and sanitation, are close to breakdown and a number of essential medical items and drugs are out of stock. I have discussed this with the Israeli Defence Minister, Palestinian President and the UN Secretary-General. Department for International Development officials are monitoring the ongoing situation.

Human Rights

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries his Department lists as being jurisdictions where homosexuals are at risk of  (a) execution and  (b) other forms of persecution by (i) state sanctioned bodies and (ii) non-state sanctioned bodies; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The nine countries that have a maximum penalty of death for consenting same sex relations are Iran, Iraq, Mauritania, Nigeria (in 12 northern states where Sharia law operates), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Yemen.
	There are a number of other countries where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people may be at risk of persecution. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Travel Advice points to countries where there might be a risk of persecution. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also provides specific advice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people on the range of issues that they might face abroad. This can be found at: www.fco.gov.uk/travel
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office opposes any form of persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, by whoever, and wherever it occurs. Foreign and Commonwealth officials have been active in promoting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the future of the International Criminal Court for the former Yugoslavia after 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) currently estimates the completion of existing trials and appeals by 2011. The UK strongly supports the Tribunal's efforts to fulfil its mandate as efficiently and quickly as possible. At the same time, the UK is actively engaged in Security Council discussions to agree a coherent framework to deal with residual functions, including a mechanism to try fugitive indictees of ICTY and the other ad hoc tribunals following the completion of their work.

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia's ability to achieve the objectives of its completion strategy by 2010.

David Miliband: Since 2004 the president and prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) have provided twice-yearly reports to the UN Security Council on progress towards the completion strategy which envisages the completion of trials by the end of 2008 and appeals by the end of 2010.
	The Government note that the ICTY president reported to the UN Security Council in December 2007 that more time is needed to complete its caseload as a result of the capture of fugitive indictees Zdravko Tolimir and Vlastimir Dordevic last May and June respectively. The ICTY currently estimates the completion of existing trials and appeals by 2011. The transfer of the remaining four fugitive indictees will also have consequences for the projected timescales for the completion of the tribunal's work.
	The Government welcome the steps taken by the tribunal to expedite the completion of cases such as greater use of written evidence and the introduction of multi-accused trials. The UK, together with EU and UN Security Council partners, regularly calls on the ICTY to continue to build on these measures to fulfil its completion strategy targets.

International Judicial Archives

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the location of international judicial archives in The Hague after 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The preservation and location of the archives of the ad hoc international criminal tribunals is a matter which the UN Security Council will consider in the context of other necessary residual functions following the completion of the tribunals' work. Discussions on residual issues is currently underway in the Security Council and involves a number of EU partners.
	To assist the Security Council's consideration of this issue, an independent Advisory Committee on Archives has been tasked to prepare a comparative study on archiving solutions. The committee is due to submit its recommendations by the middle of this year.

Iran: Israel

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Government of Iran on President Ahmadinejad's recent statement on the Holocaust.

Jim Murphy: Iranian President Ahmadinejad's statements questioning the holocaust and calling for Israel to be 'wiped off the map' are deplorable and the Government have consistently condemned them. Although we have seen no reports of recent statements by President Ahmadinejad on the holocaust, we have made clear that such comments are wholly unacceptable and have no place in civilised political debate. These kind of comments damage Iran's reputation and undermine international confidence that Iran is willing to act as a respectable member of the international community. The Minister for the Middle East, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) placed copies of statements condemning Iranian questioning of the holocaust and anti-Israeli comments in the Library of the House, following the written answer he gave to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1193W

Israel: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions  (a) he,  (b) Ministers and  (c) officials in his Department have had with the government of Israel on suicide bombings in Israel; what recent representations he has received on the subject; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary publicly condemned the suicide attack in Dimona on 4 February 2008. There can be no justification for attacks that deliberately target civilians. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary speaks regularly to Israeli Foreign Secretary Livni about issues relating to Israeli security, most recently on 6 March 2008. Our embassy in Tel Aviv has regular discussions with the Israeli government about issues relating to Israeli security.

Israel: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he  (a) has had recently and  (b) plans to have with EU counterparts on the reported storage of (i) rockets and (ii) arms by Hamas in civilian areas in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We have regular discussions with our EU partners on the subject of Israel's security. We condemn all terrorist activities. However, we have had no particular discussions with our EU counterparts on the storage of arms and rockets in civilian areas by Hamas. The UK condemns the storage of arms and rockets by Hamas in civilian areas. The UK urges all parties to adopt a peaceful, political resolution to the conflict.

Israel: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he  (a) has had and  (b) plans to have with EU counterparts on reported comments by the President of the Palestinian Authority on the recognition by Hamas of the state of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with his EU counterparts on the subject of the middle east peace process, including on our position on Hamas, most recently at the informal Foreign Ministers' meeting (Gymnich). They will continue at the April EU General Affairs and External Relations Council. Our policy towards Hamas remains the same based on the three Quartet principles: recognition of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and renunciation of violence.

Israel: Borders

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Government of Israel to open the border passes to the Gaza Strip.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The UK believes that the Gaza border crossings should be opened for both humanitarian and commercial activity. On 28 January 2008 my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, with his EU colleagues, announced that the EU would be willing to redeploy the EU border assistance mission at Rafah when conditions allow. Our embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises this issue with the Israeli Government.

Malaysia: Honours

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Ministers were advised of or were asked to consider or approve the decision to set aside the rule preventing the wearing of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal during the anniversary celebrations of Malaysian independence.

Meg Munn: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave him today (UIN 196244).

Malaysia: Honours

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the decision not to allow recipients of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal to wear the decoration on public occasions was set aside for the celebration coinciding with the anniversary celebrations of Malaysian independence.

Meg Munn: Ministers from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence put forward a proposal to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals that veterans exceptionally be allowed to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal during the main independence celebrations in Malaysia because of the significance of the anniversary.

Morocco

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the referendum process in the Western Sahara with his Moroccan counterpart.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed Western Sahara with his Moroccan counterpart. However, when I met the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Mr. Taieb Fassi Fihri, during the UK-Morocco ministerial dialogue forum in July 2007, we discussed a wide range of issues relating to Western Sahara and expressed our hope that a mutually acceptable political solution would be found, which would provide for the self determination of the people of Western Sahara. To this end, the UK fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his personal envoy to the Western Sahara, Peter van Walsum.

Written Questions

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will answer question 186869, on the demarcation of the Ethiopia-Eritrea border, tabled on 7 February 2008.

David Miliband: I replied to the right hon. Member today.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Life Expectancy

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average life expectancy of females of child bearing age in Africa was in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Douglas Alexander: The United Nations Population Division provides the following figures for average life expectancy at age 15 (taken as the beginning of their reproductive life) for women in sub-Saharan Africa:
	1995-2000: 48.5 years;
	2005-2010: 46.7 years.

China: Overseas Aid

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Chinese government on joint aid programmes.

Shahid Malik: In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Chinese Embassy have been discussing collaboration around mitigating the environmental and social impact of investments to reopen and upgrade roads infrastructure.
	We have also been providing some informal assistance to the Ministry of Health in China as they develop their strategy for support to health programmes in Africa.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development at how many events held by his Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment his Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not retain this information centrally, and it cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
	Our contracted catering company is required to supply Fairtrade or other ethically traded items if specifically requested to do so by the function organisers. In line with HMG policy, DFID is committed to improving market access to producers in developing countries through increased participation in fair and sustainable supply chains.

Departmental Pensions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years.

Gillian Merron: 201 members of staff in the Department for International Development (or 11.4 per cent. of the staff employed by the department) were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2007. This has reduced to 188 members of staff (or 10.9 per cent. of those employed by the department) who were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2008.

Iraq: Asylum

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial or other assistance his Department provides to Iraqi refugees in  (a) Jordan and  (b) Syria.

Shahid Malik: Since 2003, the Department for International Development (DFID) has allocated £7.75 million to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which leads the international response to the Iraqi refugee situation. Of this, £3 million has been committed for 2008. DFID has not earmarked contributions to UNHCR for specific countries, but has supported UNHCR's annual Iraq situation appeals. These appeals focus primarily on Jordan, Syria and Iraq, but also cover operations in Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Our support helps UNHCR provide assistance to Iraqi refugees (including food, cash assistance, legal aid and school materials) and support to health and education systems in countries that have taken in large numbers of people displaced from Iraq. DFID's contributions to UNHCR form part of our overall humanitarian assistance allocation for Iraq, totalling £147 million since 2003.
	The UK, as a major contributor to the European Commission (EC), has also supported the EC's programmes in Jordan and Syria. Last year, the EC allocated €50 million in support of Iraqi refugees in the middle east region. This included an additional €9 million to their ongoing health sector modernisation project in Syria. This money will strengthen health services in areas with large Iraqi populations. In Jordan, the EC has allocated €26.7 million in budget support, which will build capacity in the Jordanian education sector to accommodate Iraqi refugee children.

Overseas Aid

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1144W, on overseas aid, which European Commission country strategy papers do not meet the criteria for adherence to the legal and policy base and alignment set out in partner countries' national plans.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development considers that all of the country strategy papers published to date have adhered to the legal and policy base and been aligned with the partner countries' priorities.

Overseas Aid: HIV Infection

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the funding required to ensure universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services by 2010; and how much of this he estimates is required to be met by  (a) G8 members and  (b) the UK.

Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Nigel Griffiths) on 19 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 1183-84W.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Alcoholic Drinks: Enforcement

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many closure orders under section 169A of the Licensing Act 2003 for persistently selling alcohol to children had been made at the latest date for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many court orders have been made under section 147B of the Licensing Act 2003 to suspend a premises licence for the sale of alcohol.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not currently hold this data. Sections 147B and 169A of the Licensing Act 2003 relate to the new offence of persistently selling alcohol to children which came into force when Chapter 3 of Part 1 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 ("the 2006 Act") was commenced on 6 April 2007. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Statistical Bulletin on Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing, which includes information on licence suspensions, covers activity in the 12 months to 31 March 2007 and therefore pre-dates the persistent sales of alcohol to children offence coming into effect. However, we intend to repeat the data collection exercise this year and expect to publish a new Bulletin in the autumn to cover the period from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.

Arts: Higher Education

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect on creative industries of the reduction in funding for equivalent and lower level qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: My Department has made no formal assessment of the likely effect on creative industries of the reduction in funding for equivalent and lower level qualifications. We have been in conversation with the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills (DIUS) to highlight some of the key issues for DCMS however, and how they intend to monitor the impact of the arrangements.
	The first such review, which will be conducted by the Higher Education Funding Council England, is planned to take place in December 2008, in the light of entry data for the 2008-09 academic year.

Cage Fighting

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will introduce regulations on cage fighting.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 25 March 2008
	National governing bodies of sport are responsible for introducing their own regulations into their respective sports.
	Cage fighting is not recognised as a sport by Sport England, UK Sport or any of the other home country sports councils. No application has ever been received for the activity to be recognised.

Cage Fighting

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research his Department has conducted into the safety of cage fighting; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not carried out, or commissioned any research into the safety of Cage fighting.
	Cage fighting is not recognised as a sport by Sport England, UK Sport or any of the other home country sports councils.

Cultural Heritage: Young People

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many children under the age of 16 years  (a) participated in arts activity,  (b) attended an arts event,  (c) accessed a museum or gallery and  (d) visited an historic environment site in each year since 1997 for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: We do not have year on year data recording children's involvement with these cultural activities. However, our 'Taking Part' survey, conducted in 2006, showed that the following proportions of 11 to 15-year-olds:
	 (a) Attended an arts event: 74 per cent;
	 (b) Participated in an arts activity: 91 per cent;
	 (c) Visited a museum or gallery: 55 per cent;
	 (d) Visited a historic environment site: 72 per cent.
	We do not hold data prior to this.

Culture: EU Countries

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what activities the UK will be participating in as its contribution to the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue; and what the projected cost of each activity will be.

Margaret Hodge: In the UK a number of bodies including Liverpool Capital of Culture, Bristol city council and the Victoria and Albert Museum have planned programmes which tie in with the Year of Intercultural Dialogue. These are not directly funded by my Department. There are no plans at present for DCMS Ministers to attend any events marking the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue outside the UK. An official from my Department attended the launch event for the Year of Intercultural Dialogue hosted by the Slovenian EU presidency in Ljubljana on 6-7 January. The cost to my Department was £207.

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport at how many events held by his Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment his Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department does not hold any management information regarding the use of wine at events. In particular the Department has no policy regarding the use of Fairtrade wine at departmental events.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department has issued guidelines for staff on the use of social media and personal websites which states
	"If you want to start blogging, and your blog/website will say that you work for the DCMS you should tell your manager.
	If your blog makes it clear that you work for the DCMS, it should include a simple and visible disclaimer such as "these are my personal views and not those of the DCMS".
	Unless there are specific concerns about the nature of your job, you are free to talk about DCMS policies/projects and content on your blog. Consult your manager if in any doubt.
	Don't reveal confidential information. This might include aspects of DCMS policy or details of internal DCMS discussions. Again, consult your manager if you are unclear about what might be confidential.
	You should not use your blogs to attack or abuse colleagues."
	All staff in my Department are also required to sign an Acceptable Use of the Internet policy before they are given access to the internet. Any activity that would bring the Department into disrepute is prohibited.
	I am arranging to place a copy of my Department's guidelines on personal websites and blogs in the House of Commons Library.

Departmental Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in his Department and its agencies have attended the  (a) Influencing with Integrity,  (b) Emotional Intelligence,  (c) Counselling Skills for the Workplace,  (d) Managing your Confidence,  (e) Balancing Work/Life Realities and  (f) Working Assertively training course run by the National School of Government in the last 12 months for which information is available; and at what cost.

Gerry Sutcliffe: No staff (0) from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have attended the  (a) Influencing with Integrity,  (b) Emotional Intelligence,  (c) Counselling Skills for the Workplace,  (d) Managing your Confidence,  (e) Balancing Work/Life Realities and  (f) Working Assertively training courses run by the National School for Government in the last 12 months. As a result nil costs have accrued.

Gambling

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government have taken to tackle gambling addiction.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 26 March 2008
	I refer my hon. Friend, the member for Coventry South, to the answer I gave him on 7 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1305W.
	The principal step that the Government have taken recently to address gambling addiction has been to implement the Gambling Act 2005, which from 1 September 2007 has introduced a range of licence conditions and codes of practice designed to protect children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling. The Gambling Commission and licensing authorities have been given wide-ranging powers to enforce these conditions, and all gambling operators must comply with the new rules or risk losing their licence.

Licensing

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) on-licences,  (b) off-licences and  (c) public entertainment licences have been issued in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The number of Premises Licences and Club Premises Certificates issued under the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) and broken down by licensable activity as at 31 March 2007 for each Licensing Authority area is available from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/7F01712CB2294A2FB313DF89D542E29C/0/TableQ2_revised9nov.xls
	 Source:
	Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Statistical Bulletin 2006/07.
	Prior to the implementation of the 2003 Act, data on the number of alcohol licences and certificates granted and renewed in England and Wales under the Licensing Act 1964 were collected by petty sessional divisions (magistrates court areas) on a triennial basis, in accordance with the three yearly cycle of licence renewals. On and off-licensed premises and other liquor licensing data, by petty sessional division as at 30 June 2004 can be found on Table 9 at this website address:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F96FD9EFC8174E07B1A46F4D4EA9F2A3/0/7138BLiquorReport.pdf
	 Source:
	Liquor Licensing Statistical Bulletin 2003/04.
	No data were collected centrally on the number of public entertainment licences issued by local authorities prior to the implementation of the 2003 Act.

Motorsport Development UK

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what payments his Department made to Motorsport Development UK in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department, through Sport England awarded £25,000 to the East Midlands Development Agency in 2006 to support 50 per cent. of the costs of producing the Motorsport Widening Participation Plan 2007 to 2013.
	The actual amount paid was £19,858 and the award was made to EMDA in its role as 'host' agency for Motorsport Development UK.

National Lottery: Buildings

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been provided from National Lottery funding to date for new and refurbished buildings in  (a) England,  (b) Wales,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Northern Ireland in (i) grants and (ii) matching funding.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Some grants by almost all the lottery distributing bodies will have involved the construction of new buildings or the repair, maintenance or improvement of existing buildings. This will have included (but is not limited to) historic buildings and monuments, arts and sports venues and facilities, health facilities (for example, healthy living centres) and community buildings (such as village halls).

Olympic Games

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role his Department has in managing the procession of the Olympic Torch through London on 6 April.

Andy Burnham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has had no role in managing the procession of the Olympic torch through London on 6 April.
	The invitation for a city to host a section of an Olympic or Paralympic torch relay goes directly to that city and the National Olympic Committee. The Greater London Authority (GLA) has therefore been managing the operational details of the torch relay leg on 6 April. GLA has kept us updated as its plans have progressed.

Press

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of the press offices of  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies were in each year since 1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1 April 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has one agency, the Royal Parks Agency. The total annual costs of the press offices of the department and the Royal Parks Agency for each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   DCMS (£)  Royal Parks Agency (£) 
			 1996-97 236,524 37,395 
			 1997-98 — 42,364 
			 1998-99 — 43,559 
			 1999-2000 — 52,157 
			 2000-01 582,442 55,688 
			 2001-02 657,139 57,275 
			 2002-03 712,623 58,325 
			 2003-04 814,244 59,395 
			 2004-05 831,802 59,693 
			 2005-06 861,799 60,723 
			 2006-07 1,126,541 61,938 
		
	
	Costs provided for the Royal Parks Agency are an estimate based on current staffing levels.
	Costs for the department for 1996-97 and 2000-01 have previously been provided in a written answer to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 10 April 2002,  Official Report, column 319W.
	Information for 2007-08 cannot be included as the current year's expenditure has not yet been audited.
	Information regarding the cost of the department's press office from 1997-98 to 1999-2000, and the total annual cost of the press offices for the department's non-departmental public bodies from 1996-97 to 2006-07, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Regeneration: Coastal Areas

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how the funding earmarked for regeneration of seaside towns is to be divided between locations; and when these funds will be distributed.

Margaret Hodge: My Department's £45 million fund will allocate £15 million a year over three years to help catalyze the regeneration of seaside resorts through heritage and cultural projects.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make an announcement on the funding proposals for year one of the programme shortly.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Personal Capability Test

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether unemployed registered blind people and others with serious disabilities are required to take the personal capability test; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: In the present personal capability assessment, blind people and those with certain other severely disabling conditions can be exempt from taking the medical test.
	The new work capability assessment for employment and support allowance moves the emphasis from what people cannot do to what they can do, and how they can be helped to do even more.
	Our aim is to support, encourage and enable people to move into work, and so to become and remain independent. We will require all those who claim ESA, except the most severely disabled, to take the new medical test.

New Deal

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on plans to reform the new deal; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The new deal has led a major transformation in employment support by helping more than 1.85 million people into work.
	We want to build on that success, and as announced in our recently published commissioning strategy, we will harness the expertise and innovation of the private, public and third sectors to help those who are still finding it difficult to find or sustain work.

Incapacity Benefit

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people had been on incapacity benefit for more than five years at the latest date for which a figure is available.

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people had been on incapacity benefit for more than five years at the latest date for which a figure is available.

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people had been on incapacity benefit for more than five years at the latest date for which a figure is available.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Bexley Heath and Crayford (Mr. Evennett).

Carers

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support available to carers; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Government are committed to improving the help available to carers.
	The review of the national carers strategy is looking in depth at issues around carers' incomes in consultation with carers and organisations that represent them.
	The review will be published in late spring.

Local Housing Allowance

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the implementation of the local housing allowance.

James Plaskitt: The local housing allowance will roll out nationally from 7 April 2008 to all tenants who make a new claim for housing benefit in the de-regulated private rented sector.
	It has already been successfully implemented and evaluated in 18 local authorities. The results of this evaluation have been extremely positive.
	We have undertaken to review all aspects of the local housing allowance over the first two years of the scheme.

National Insurance Numbers

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to allocate national insurance numbers to people who are discovered to have been trafficked into the UK.

Stephen Timms: Trafficked people who have been granted leave to enter or remain in the UK, and have access to work or benefits, will be eligible to apply for a national insurance number.

National Insurance Numbers

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many migrant workers have been given national insurance numbers in  (a) Northamptonshire and  (b) England in the last three years.

Stephen Timms: Figures are available only for the last two years. In 2005-06, 8,400 national insurance numbers were issued to adult foreign nationals in Northamptonshire and 578,840 in England. In 2006-07, 8,170 numbers were issued in Northamptonshire and 614,780 in England.

Pensioner Benefits

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to increase take-up of benefit entitlements by pensioners.

Mike O'Brien: We want every pensioner to claim the benefits they are entitled to which is why we have made claiming more straightforward. From October claims for state pension, pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit can be made in one phone call with no forms to fill in and we are always looking at ways to make the application process simpler. As part of our drive to increase take up, I recently launched a communication campaign to target specific areas where take-up of entitlements is low. The campaign will explore partnership opportunities with Help the Aged, Age Concern, Citizens Advice and other partners.

Pensioner Benefits

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to enable pensioners to take up their benefit entitlements.

Mike O'Brien: We want every pensioner to claim the benefits they are entitled to which is why we have made claiming more straightforward. From October claims for state pension, pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit can be made in one phone call with no forms to fill in and we are always looking at ways to make the application process simpler.

Child Support Agency

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the Child Support Agency was in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The cost of running the Child Support Agency for the 12 months to March 2007 was £520.3 million. In this period the Agency collected and arranged £898.1 million in maintenance payments benefiting almost 642,000 children.

Carers Allowances

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to the public purse would be of not offsetting carer's allowance against  (a) the basic state pension and  (b) other benefits.

James Plaskitt: After adjusting for offsets in income-related benefits and pension credit, the estimated cost of exempting all pensioners with entitlement to carer's allowance from the overlapping benefits rule would be around £310 million.
	This estimate does not take account of carers presently not claiming carer's allowance who might be encouraged to do so by a change in the rules.
	The estimated cost of exempting all those of working age with entitlement to carer's allowance from the overlapping benefits rule after adjusting for offsets in income-related benefits would be around £90 million.

Child Support

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1393W, on child support, how much and what proportion of debt was collected in each year.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 31 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20th March 2008, Official Report, column 1393W, on child support, how much and what proportion of debt was collected in each year.
	The information that you have requested is not available. The Agency's current assessment of collectable and uncollectable debt is based on an annual debt analysis exercise. This exercise examines a sample of cases to determine collectability based on the Agency's past experience. It is an estimate and therefore subject to change as the Agency improves its debt collection and enforcement activities.
	The Agency does not routinely categorise every individual case in this way and is therefore unable to supply the information that you have requested.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Correspondence

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the procedures are for the Child Support Agency to make electronic copies of correspondence  (a) received and  (b) sent by it.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive.
	He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 31 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and pensions, what the procedures are for the Child Support Agency to make electronic copies of correspondence  (a) received and  (b) sent by it.
	All written correspondence relating to a complaint, including those from either a client or a Member of Parliament, received by the Child Support Agency is scanned and stored electronically.
	In addition, all correspondence relating to Child Support Agency issues addressed to the Chief Executive or to a Minister within the Department for Work and Pensions is scanned and stored electronically, as is any subsequent response.
	The Agency does not routinely scan and electronically store correspondence received during the course of assessing an application or maintaining a case, but files this correspondence clerically. The Agency does however keep electronic copies of the letters and standard forms generated by the Agency's computer system.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: ICT

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2591 on IT projects, what the  (a) start date,  (b) original planned completion date,  (c) current expected completion date,  (d) planned cost and  (e) current estimated cost is for the Child Support Agency Operational Improvement Plan, including IT elements; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 31 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	.
	The Child Support Agency Operational Improvement Plan was announced in February 2006. The plan sets out a business recovery programme for the three years to March 2009. Key commitments to improve the performance of the Agency are supported by a programme to design, develop and implement a process of organisational change. This is underpinned by continuing remediation of existing computer systems and the introduction of further IT enhancements in preparation for the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	The Operational Improvement Plan was funded in the main from releasing existing resource agreed as part of the 2004 spending review, supplemented by an additional £120 million new investment from within the Department. The total original planned cost of the Operational Improvement Plan was £320m and our estimated cost remains £320m. The Agency remains on track to meet its Operational Improvement Plan commitments by March 2009.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental Pay

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the 24-hour overnight allowance for his Department's civil servants based outside London is when working in London.

Anne McGuire: The 24-hour overnight allowances payable to DWP employees is a national rate and therefore the same whether employees are working in London or in any other part of the country.
	Applicable rates are as follows:
	Actual costs for accommodation and breakfast booked via the hotel booking agent. When not booked via the agent, costs must be supported by a receipt and are limited to £45(1).
	In addition, a flat rate amount of £21 is payable to cover the cost of lunch, evening meal and any incidental travel(2). In exceptional circumstances, actual costs for meals and incidental travel is paid if expenses are incurred above the flat rate. Receipts will be required in these circumstances
	If the individual chooses to stay with friends or relatives, then a night subsistence allowance of £25 is payable for each day.
	Additionally, £5 per night is paid to cover personal incidental expenses such as newspapers or phone calls home.
	(1) Hotel accommodation is normally arranged through a booking agent who charge DWP directly. In exceptional circumstances, the individual may arrange their own accommodation but expenses for this are limited to £45 per night.
	(2) The rate reduces where individuals remain away from home for over 30 nights without a break of more than two weeks and remain in hotel accommodation. In these circumstances, the individual can claim the actual cost of the evening meal (excluding alcohol) up to £16.50.

Departmental Publications

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what documents his Department, its associated agencies and non departmental bodies translate for people in the UK who do not speak English.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions translates a range of documents into other languages, as determined by each of the individual businesses and services. We have a range of policies to guide them, such as the Ethnic Language Standard, Welsh Language Scheme, Welsh Language Standard and our interpretation policy, which are based on legislation and best practice. When requested to do so by our customers, the Department is also required to provide customers with specific and personal communications, such as letters, in their preferred language.
	The Department for Work and Pensions and non departmental bodies also produce all publications and services bilingually in English and Welsh, as both languages are treated equally under the Welsh Language Act.

Employment Benefits: Greater London

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of  (a) one and  (b) more than one work-related benefit in (i) London and (ii) each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information about out-of-work benefits has been placed in the Library.

Employment: Sight Impaired

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many registered blind people of working age there are in  (a) each region and  (b) Bolton, South-East constituency.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table shows the number of working-age people registered as blind or partially sighted, broken down by region. Figures broken down into constituencies are not held centrally.
	The numbers have been rounded to the nearest five.
	
		
			  Number of people aged 18 to 64 (as at 31 March 2006) 
			   Registered as: 
			   Blind  Partially sighted 
			 England 33,420 29,310 
			 North East 1,700 1,740 
			 North West 5,350 5,240 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 4,490 3,490 
			 East Midlands 2,780 2,375 
			 West Midlands 3,665 3,335 
			 South West 2,915 2,430 
			 Eastern 2,925 2,915 
			 London 5,335 3,950 
			 South East 4,150 3,765 
			  Note:  Registration onto the blind and partially sighted register is voluntary. Registration is not, however, a pre-requisite for certain social services concessions and this factor, combined with uncertainties about the regularity with which the councils review and update their records, makes it difficult to assign a degree of reliability to these registers.

Foreign Workers: EC Countries

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of job vacancies filled by migrant workers from other European Union member states in the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average duration is of a claim for jobseeker's allowance when the claimant maintains their claim  (a) in person once a fortnight and  (b) by post.

James Plaskitt: No such breakdown is available because the normal expectation is that people will maintain their claim in person.
	For jobseeker's allowance claims ending in January 2008, the median duration of claim was 9.4 weeks (Great Britain).
	 Notes
	1. Figures are based on computer held cases only.
	2. The median indicates that half of the clams ending in January 2008 were shorter than 9.4 weeks and half were longer.
	 Source
	100 per cent count of claimants of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus Computer Systems.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Lone Parents

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether lone parents on jobseeker's allowance may be sanctioned or have their claims disallowed if they refuse employment based up to one and a half hours travelling distance from their home.

James Plaskitt: Jobseeker's allowance is designed to ensure that all jobseekers take every necessary step to get into work, it is not payable to anyone who has, without good cause, failed to take up a reasonable opportunity of employment.
	Travelling time is taken into account in deciding whether there is good cause. After the first 13 weeks of entitlement to jobseeker's allowance, reasonable travelling time is normally one and a half hours or less each way. However, a person's health or caring responsibilities will be taken into account in determining whether the time it would take to travel to work is unreasonable. This applies to all jobseekers, including those who are lone parents.

Pensions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to reduce the burden of regulation on small defined benefit schemes where all the fund's assets are held by an insurance company.

Mike O'Brien: In May 2006, the Government announced a rolling deregulatory review with the aim of making the private pensions regulatory framework simpler and less burdensome. The current Pensions Bill includes, for example, measures to reduce the statutory cap which applies to the revaluation of deferred pension rights from 5 per cent. to 2.5 per cent. for all defined benefit rights which build up after the change is introduced. That change could potentially provide significant savings for all defined benefit pension schemes. We are taking forward other changes to ease the burden on all defined benefit schemes in secondary legislation and/or guidance, and would welcome further specific proposals for change.

Social Security Benefits

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the level of benefit uptake among  (a) 16 to 30-year-olds,  (b) 31 to 65-year-olds and  (c) pensioners;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the value of benefits not taken up by  (a) 16 to 30-year-olds,  (b) 31 to 65-year-olds and  (c) pensioners in the last financial year for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: Estimates of take-up of the main income-related benefits are available in the Department's publication series entitled "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up". These estimates cover income support, jobseeker's allowance, pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit. Copies of the latest publication can be found in the Library. The latest report is also available online at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/irb_0506_2.asp
	Breakdowns by specific age group and information on the take-up of other DWP administered benefits are not available.

Social Workers: Labour Turnover

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many social workers left the profession in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department does not collect this information centrally.

State Retirement Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) women and  (b) men drew deferred state retirement pensions as a lump sum in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  SP caseload as at 31 May 2007 where a lump sum amount is recorded and the deferment period ended in the 12 months to 31 May 2007 
			   Number 
			 All 10,970 
			 Female 7,500 
			 Male 3,470 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10; some additional disclosure control has also been applied.  2. Includes overseas cases.  3. Totals may not sum due to rounding.  4. Figures include inherited lump sums.  5. The option to take a lump sum was introduced in April 2006 but only for those deferring for a minimum of 12 months.   Source:  DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal study.

Tax Allowances: Pensioners

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with officials on extending the pensioners' tax allowance to women between the ages of 60 and 65 years.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions on a wide range of issues as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of these discussions.

Tax Allowances: Pensioners

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the pensioners' tax allowance to women between the ages of 60 and 65 years.

Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
	Age related income tax personal allowances are available for people over 65 years of age. The cost of extending the age related income tax personal allowance to all men and women aged 60 to 64 would be around £1 billion in 2008-09. Introducing such a change for women only would cost approximately half this amount but would not be possible as it would discriminate on the basis of gender.
	Estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes 2005-06, projected in line with Budget 2008 assumptions.

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Prime Minister what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Gordon Brown: A list of my UK visits will be published in the usual way following the end of the financial year.

Departmental Internet

Hugo Swire: To ask the Prime Minister if he will  (a) follow the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) guidelines and  (b) display ICRA's label on 10 Downing Street's website.

Gordon Brown: The Government are committed to safety online for all users, including children. The Central Office of Information is preparing a new set of guidance for many aspects of the Government web estate.

Departmental Internet

David Jones: To ask the Prime Minister what guidance is issued to members of his Office on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: The Civil Service Code, the Civil Service Management Code and Propriety Guidance on Government Communications, all provide guidance to staff on the publication of material relating to their official duties. Copies of each of these are in the Libraries of the House. They are also available on the Cabinet Office website.

Departmental Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister on what date he last travelled by rail on official business.

Gordon Brown: I travel, making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements, including by rail. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 10 of the "Ministerial Code", and the accompanying guidance document, "Travel by Ministers".

Jennifer Moses

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister on what policy area Ms Jennifer Moses provides advice to the Prime Minister.

Gordon Brown: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 12 March 2008,  Official Report, column 449W.

John McCain

Edward Davey: To ask the Prime Minister what matters he discussed at his most recent meeting with US Senator John McCain.

Jo Swinson: To ask the Prime Minister whether he raised the issue of  (a) the Israeli-Palestine conflict,  (b) climate change,  (c) Darfur and  (d) Tibet in his recent meeting with Senator John McCain.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Members to the press briefing given by my spokesman on 20 March 2008. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website
	http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page15132.asp
	and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mayor of London

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister how many official meetings he has had with the Mayor of London since 27 June 2007.

Gordon Brown: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects.

National Register of Risks

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister whether the information to be published on the National Register of Risks will be made public in unredacted form.

Gordon Brown: The national register of risks will be written with the express purpose of informing the public of the risks that they face. It will include as much information as possible without prejudicing national security.

National Security

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral statement on 19 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 925-29, on the national security strategy, when this capacity is planned to be available; whether the individuals will be contracted to serve in dangerous areas; how much has been allocated for the initiative; from what budget; whether the participants will be full-time or on standby; what the implications of the standby capacity for the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit are; and what discussions the Government has had with  (a) NATO,  (b) the EU and  (c) other countries on the development of this capacity.

Gordon Brown: As I announced to the House on 19 March, the UK supports a significant increase and acceleration in international capacity, and will lead this effort by building the UK's own capacity towards a target of 1,000 stand-by deployable civilians, including police, emergency service professionals, judges and trainers.
	The Stabilisation Unit (formerly Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit), working with relevant departments leads on building capability to deploy civilians into countries emerging from violent conflict. Pre-deployment training and equipment is funded from the Stabilisation Unit's budget, with the costs of deployments themselves falling primarily to the Stabilisation Aid Fund, Conflict Prevention Pool and the Peacekeeping Budget.
	The UK continues to discuss its arrangements to increase capacity with its international partners in the EU, NATO and the UN.

National Security Forum

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria will be used in determining the membership of the new National Security Forum.

Gordon Brown: The National Security Forum will harness a wide range of expertise and experience. It will include representatives from central and local government, politics, academia, the private and third sectors, and other bodies, as well as people with relevant security experience.

Prime Minister: Visits

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many sporting events outside England he has attended in his official capacity since appointment;
	(2)  how many secondary schools he has visited in an official capacity since taking office.

Gordon Brown: A list of my UK visits will be published in the usual way following the end of the financial year. In addition, since 1999, the Government have published an annual list of all overseas visits undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House.

Security: Finance

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what additional resources are being made available to support each new initiative in the new National Security Strategy;
	(2)  what annual budget has been allocated to monitoring the possibility of nuclear weapons or material or technology falling into the hands of terrorists, as outlined at paragraph 3.12 of the National Security Strategy of the United Kingdom, Cm 7291.

Gordon Brown: The comprehensive spending review, published on 9 October last year, set out the Government's spending plans for national security.
	These plans included details of increased resources covered in the National Security Strategy, including continued rising real-terms investment in the armed forces; increased resources for diplomatic engagement in key areas; more spending on conflict prevention and stabilisation; and more spending on security, intelligence and counter-terrorism, where the budget has doubled since 2001 and will grow to £3.5 billion by 2011.
	The National Security Strategy sets out the framework for targeting those resources.

United Kingdoms: Borders

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister what geographical criteria he used in preparation of his article in  The  Daily Telegraph of 25 March 2008 entitled We must defend the Union.

Gordon Brown: The full article appears on the website of the  Daily Telegraph, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

JUSTICE

Act of Settlement 1700

Adam Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which other Acts of Parliament would need to be amended if the Act of Settlement 1700 were amended to end the prohibitions on Roman Catholics within that Act.

Jack Straw: Legislation that would need to be reviewed includes the Bill of Rights 1688, the Coronation Oath Act 1688, the Union with Scotland Act 1707, the Union with England Act 1707, the Princess Sophia's Precedence Act 1711, the Royal Marriages Act 1772, the Union with Ireland Act 1800, the Accession Declaration Act 1910, and the Regency Act 1937. Any change in legislation would among other things require the consent of member nations of the Commonwealth

Administration of Justice

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps the Government have taken to clean up defunct and meaningless law as mentioned in his Department's press release of 18 March 2008.

Bridget Prentice: The Government introduced the Statute Law (Repeals) Bill into the House of Lords on 27 February 2008. It received its second reading on 18 March.
	The Bill implements the recommendations made by the Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission in their joint report: Statute Law Repeals, Joint Report Law Com No 308/Scot Law Com No 210. The Bill repeals 260 whole Acts and parts of 68 other Acts. These statutory provisions no longer have any practical utility.
	The Bill is the 18th Statute Law (Repeals) Bill drafted by the Law Commissions. The next Statute Law (Repeals) Bill is expected to be ready for introduction in 2012.

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the Children and Family Courts Advisory and Support Service no longer has key stakeholders.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	This is a matter for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Anthony Douglas, the chief executive has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his letter has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 12 March 2008:
	I am writing to you in response to the Parliamentary Question that you tabled recently:
	189978—Ms Susan Kramer to ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, for what reasons the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service no longer has key stakeholders.
	Cafcass has not changed its policy or operational protocols in respect of our key stakeholders. We work in partnership with other public sector organisations, particularly in the family justice system as well as with third sector and private companies who we either commission services from or work together with on specific projects and programmes. We regularly attend national and local Family Justice Councils, and all Local Safeguarding Children Boards in England. We have many active partnerships with organisations to develop joint policies or service agreements. Cafcass has an active Young Peoples Board, with membership drawn from children and young people who are either current or past service users. We are intending to extend this level of participation in the next financial year to focus on adult participation, building on the outcomes of focus groups we have held this year. Cafcass is proud of the high level of partnership working carried out throughout the organisation, and we aim to continue this policy. This includes a widely advertised open Board meeting every year, held in a different English city on each occasion.
	A copy of this reply will be placed in the House Library.

ClearSprings: Basildon

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department is directing ClearSprings to source property in Basildon District.

David Hanson: ClearSprings are not currently seeking accommodation in the Basildon district. However, there is an identified need for housing in the Basildon area for those granted bail by the courts or released on home detention curfew.

Crime: Victims

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made in appointing an independent commissioner for victims under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: A recruitment exercise for a commissioner for victims and witnesses was carried out in 2006; however, we were not successful in identifying a candidate with all of the appropriate skills necessary for the proposed role.
	Since 2006, we have driven substantial improvements for victims and witnesses including: the introduction of the victims code of practice; the setting up of witness care units; the roll-out of an enhanced working model for Victim Support (Victim Support plus) and the provision of independent domestic violence advisers. We are therefore considering future options for the role of commissioner for victims and witnesses in the context of these developments.

Criminal Proceedings: Retail Trade

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2372W, on trials: measurement, how many of the prosecutions resulted in a conviction in each year;
	(2)  how many people have been convicted of offences related to the use of imperial weights and measures in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The available information on offenders found guilty under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 for offences related to weights and measures provisions has been combined with the data provided in my previous answer of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2372W, on trials: measurement, and is provided in the following table. Data from 2002 to 2006 have been provided.
	It is not possible from the data held centrally to identify the number of these prosecutions relating solely to the use of imperial weights and measures from other prosecutions under the Weights and Measurement Act 1985.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 for offences related to weights and measures provisions, England and Wales 2002 to 2006( 1, 2) 
			   Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 2002 47 39 
			 2003 32 27 
			 2004 54 50 
			 2005 37 31 
			 2006 28 17 
			 (1) These data are provided on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Court Proceedings Database—Office For Criminal Justice Reform.

Debt Collection

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government plan to take to consider the welfare of children in households which bailiffs have been instructed to visit.

Maria Eagle: The Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 will set out, through the provision of regulations, the training required by bailiffs to allow them to deal with all householders, including vulnerable debtors and others present at the premises in an appropriate manner. For example, withdrawing from the premises when only minors are present.
	This training will ensure that all agents have a thorough working knowledge of all relevant areas of enforcement law and the associated national standards.
	This training will be underpinned by the regulation of all enforcement agents who are not Crown employees via an enhanced and extended certification process. Granting of a certificate will be at the discretion of a county court judge, and will be dependent on the agent lodging application fees and securities, proof of their suitability to hold a certificate and the successful completion of a criminal record check.

Debt Collection: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps the Government have taken to protect householders from unscrupulous bailiffs.

Maria Eagle: The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 introduces a single piece of bailiff law which brings together in one place the legal structure for all warrant enforcement, written in terms that are easily understandable and which clearly outline the rights and responsibilities of creditors, debtors and enforcement agents. This unified single piece of enforcement agent law will apply across the board to all enforcement agents.
	The package of measures in the Act will lead to a more highly qualified, better trained and professional industry, fairly rewarded for carrying out what can be a difficult task in trying conditions, performing to the best of their ability while remaining within the letter and spirit of the law.
	The enhanced and extended certification process will be a major contribution towards a fully regulated, highly trained and professional enforcement industry.

Departmental Information Officers

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) press and  (b) communications officers his Department employed in each year since its establishment.

Jack Straw: The Ministry of Justice was formed in May 2007. As of 28 March, the Ministry of Justice employed 32 press officers. The MoJ does not have a 'communication officer' grade but does employ a number of communications specialist staff in a range of communications roles, including strategic communications, publicity and publications, web, and internal communications roles. The 'White Book' of Contacts in government departments and agencies contains listings for the Department and related offices and is updated twice yearly.
	Information on the number of press officers for agencies of the MoJ is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Organisation  Number of press officers  Number of communications officers 
			 Parole Board 1 0 
			 Office of the Public Guardian 0 5 
			 OCJR 0 13 
			 National Archives 5 2 
			 Tribunal Service 1 5 
			 Boundary Commissions for England and Wales 0 0 
			 HMCS 3 11 
			 YJB 3 0

Departmental Information Officers

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department paid in bonuses to press and communication officers in each of the last 10 years; and what the  (a) highest and  (b) lowest such bonus was in each of those years.

Jack Straw: The Department can award bonuses to staff under its reward and recognition scheme which started in 2003. This scheme is a means by which managers agree small bonuses and special bonuses throughout the year to recognise particular pieces of work well done. The totals relating to this award scheme are given in the following tables. Information is supplied only for press officers. The Ministry of Justice does not have a 'communication officer' grade but does employ a number of communications specialist staff in a range of communications roles, including strategic communications, publicity and publications, web, and internal communications roles.
	It is also possible to reward staff under the performance bonuses scheme. These are given to those staff assessed as top performers throughout the year. It is not possible to give details of bonuses given under this scheme in a reliable way.
	Information on bonus information for agencies of the MoJ is contained in the tables.
	
		
			  Reward and recognition award scheme—Ministry of Justice Press Office 
			  £ 
			   Highest amount  Lowest amount  Total 
			 2003-04 750 20 3,212.98 
			 2004-05 0 0 0 
			 2005-06 500 30 735 
			 2006-07 500 50 4,650 
		
	
	
		
			  £ 
			  Organisation  Highest bonus  Lowest bonus  Total 
			 Parole Board 500 0 500 
			 Office of the Public Guardian 0 0 0 
			 OCJR 0 0 0 
			 National Archives 0 0 0 
			 Tribunal Service 200 0 0 
			 Boundary Commissions for England and Wales 0 0 0 
			 HMCS (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 YJB 0 0 0 
			 (1) No information

Departmental Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when his Department plans to publish its sustainable operations policy statement.

Jack Straw: The Ministry of Justice published its sustainable development action plan on 14 March 2008. It sets out the vision for sustainable development in the Ministry of Justice, how sustainable development will be incorporated into the operations and policy making of the department, the key commitments and how the plan will be delivered.
	A copy of the report is available on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/sustainable-development.pdf

Offenders: Education

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent on providing education and skills for offenders  (a) in custody and  (b) serving community sentences in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	Since the transfer of responsibility for offender learning and skills from the Home Office in 2001, the Department for Innovation, Universities and its predecessors, have spent the following on education and training in prisons.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total spend (£ million) 
			 2001-02 57 
			 2002-03 73 
			 2003-04 116 
			 2004-05 126 
			 2005-06 151 
			 2006-07 156 
		
	
	The Learning and Skills Council also spent a further £30 million in European Social Funding for the two calendar years 2006 and 2007, and established a £13.9 million budget from EQUAL funding for the period December 2006 to March 2008 to meet additional provision for offenders both in custody and in the community.
	The majority of education for offenders serving community sentences is funded and provided through the general education system available to all learners, although a further £10 million was provided in financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 to support additional Skills for Life provision for offenders in the community.

Offenders: Education

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what funding has been provided for education and skills enhancement for offenders  (a) in custody and  (b) serving community sentences for 2008-09, broken down by funding source; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	We can protect the public by helping offenders become more productive members of society, and it is clear that an important way of doing that is to tackle the low skills and worklessness that can be major obstacle to an offender living free of crime. Thus the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills devotes significant resources to providing education and training in prisons and for offenders in the community.
	In financial year 2006-07 we provided a total of £156 million to support offender learning including funding for Prison libraries and salaries for Heads of Learning and Skills in prisons, the majority of which was routed through the Learning and Skills Council as new offender learning planning and delivery arrangements were introduced across England from August 2006.
	The Learning and Skills Council also spent a further £30 million in European Social Funding for the two calendar years 2006 and 2007, and established a £13.9 million budget from EQUAL funding for the period December 2006 to March 2008 to meet additional provision for offenders both in custody and in the community.

Prison Accommodation

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions his Department has had with the Ministry of Defence on using space at the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester to accommodate civilian prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Government have no plans to accommodate civilian prisoners at the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester.

Prison Accommodation: Dorchester Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) remand and  (b) convicted prisoners were accommodated at HMP Dorchester on the first Friday of each month for the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Monthly prison population figures are published for the population as at the end of the month. The following table shows the population in HMP Dorchester as at the end of each month in 2007. For completeness the table shows the total population broken down into  (a) untried remand;  (b) convicted (broken into convicted unsentenced remand and immediate custodial sentenced);  (c) fine defaulters and non-criminal prisoners.
	
		
			  2007 
			   Untried remand  Convicted unsentenced remand  Sentenced (excl. fine defaulters)  Fine defaulters  and non- criminals  Total population 
			 January 45 38 159 2 244 
			 February 43 38 163 1 245 
			 March 47 35 155 7 244 
			 April 48 48 145 4 245 
			 May 49 43 128 4 224 
			 June 66 40 131 4 241 
			 July 69 42 120 3 234 
			 August 56 43 127 3 229 
			 September 60 49 114 5 228 
			 October 58 50 113 8 229 
			 November 61 38 121 5 225 
			 December 67 33 116 3 219 
		
	
	These figures are taken from the F1032 tables which were made available to the House of Commons Library at time of issue.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners Rights

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what percentage of prisoners in each prison in England and Wales were on the  (a) basic,  (b) standard and  (c) enhanced privilege level of incentives and earned privileges scheme in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The data for the Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme (IEPS) is recorded on the Prison Service management information system (PSIMON). PSIMON is independent of the system recording population data, this is why there is a shortfall against the published population data. The information is only used to provide indicators for monitoring, and at a national level, the operation of the system.
	The variation between the totals of reported IEP levels and the population summary is due to the two sets of data being recorded at different times. There may also be an element of misreporting.
	Copies of the requested data have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Sentencing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of people convicted of a third class A drug trafficking offence under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 received the mandatory sentence established by the Act in each of the last seven years, broken down by age group; and what the average sentence of those convicted of a third class A drug trafficking offence under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 was in each of the last seven years;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of people convicted of a third domestic burglary offence under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 received the mandatory sentence established by the Act in each of the last seven years, broken down by age group; and what the average sentence of those convicted of a third domestic burglary offence under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 was in each of the last seven years.

David Hanson: The following table shows the number of persons sentenced to immediate custody under the Powers of Criminal Courts (sentencing) Act (2000, 2000-2006), by age and offence.
	
		
			  Persons sentenced( 1)  to immediate custody under the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, 2000-2006, England and Wales 
			  Number of persons 
			Section 110  Section 111 
			   Age  Minimum 7 years for third class A drug trafficking offence  Minimum 3 years for third domestic burglary 
			 2000 10 to 17 — — 
			  18 to 20 — — 
			  21 and over 2 — 
			  Total 2 0 
			 
			 2001 10 to 17 — — 
			  18 to 20 1 — 
			  21 and over — 6 
			  Total 1 6 
			 
			 2002 10 to 17 — — 
			  18 to 20 — 2. 
			  21 and over — — 
			  Total 0 2 
			 
			 2003 10 to 17 — — 
			  18 to 20 — 4 
			  21 and over 3 9 
			  Total 3 13 
			 
			 2004 10 to 17 — — 
			  18 to 20 1 15 
			  21 and over 3 31 
			  Total 4 46 
			 2005 10 to 17 — — 
			  18 to 20 — 18 
			  21 and over 3 71 
			  Total 3 89 
			 
			 2006 10 to 17 — — 
			  18 to 20 — 33 
			  21 and over 7 196 
			  Total 7 229 
			 (1) Principal offence basis  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale record.  Source: RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice

Young Offenders: Custodial Treatment

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young people aged under 16 years living in  (a) Ribble Valley constituency and  (b) Lancashire received a custodial sentence in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: The court proceedings database does not contain details of offender address. We are unable to say where an offender was living when they received a custodial sentence.

HEALTH

Abortion: Finance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public funding was provided to clinics performing abortions in  (a) Lancashire and  (b) England in each year since 1998.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not collected centrally.

Abortion: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed in Lancashire in each year since 1998.

Dawn Primarolo: Data for abortions performed in Lancashire are not available. Data for abortions for women resident in Lancashire are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Abortions to residents of Lancashire( 1)  1998-2006 
			  Health authority (HA) 1998-2001  East Lancashire HA  North West Lancashire HA  South Lancashire HA  Total 
			 1998 1,413 1,371 701 3,485 
			 1999 1,444 1,226 762 3,432 
			 2000 1,461 1,274 711 3,446 
			 2001 1,342 1,227 709 3,278 
		
	
	
		
			  Strategic health authority (SHA) 2002-05 :  Cumbria and Lancashire SHA  Total 
			 2002 4,571 
			 2003 4,826 
			 2004 4,804 
			 2005 4,749 
		
	
	
		
			  Primary care trust (PCT) 2006  T otal 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 1,223 
			 East Lancashire PCT 1,147 
			 North Lancashire PCT 768 
			 Blackpool PCT 495 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PC 477 
			 Total Lancashire PCTs 4,110 
			 (1) Boundaries for Lancashire changed in 2002 and 2006 and totals cannot be compared between groups.  Source: Department of Health

Accident and Emergency Departments: Admissions

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost of admitting a patient to hospital through the accident and emergency department was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The specific information requested cannot be provided, as the average cost of admission through accident and emergency (A and E) departments is not collected. However, information is available on the average cost of treating patients in A and E departments who are subsequently admitted. This information is collected each year through the national health service reference cost collection exercise. The following table sets out the information reported for 2006-07. A copy of the national schedule of reference costs for 2006-07 has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_082571
	
		
			  National schedule of reference costs 2006-07—NHS trusts—A and E services leading to admitted 
			  Accident and emergency services  Number of attendances  National average unit cost (£)  Number of data submissions 
			 Any investigation with category 5 treatment 107,805 102 92 
			 Category 3 investigation with category 4 treatment 10,459 338 95 
			 Category 3 investigation with category 1-3 treatment 82,486 151 127 
			 Category 2 investigation with category 4 treatment 80,381 182 107 
			 Category 2 investigation with category 3 treatment 134,832 158 120 
			 Category 1 investigation with category 3-4 treatment 41,097 123 116 
			 Category 2 investigation with category 2 treatment 166,338 140 117 
			 Category 2 investigation with category 1 treatment 1,274,236 123 124 
			 Category 1 investigation with category 1-2 treatment 629,947 90 127 
			 Dental Care 72 477 8 
			 No investigation with no significant treatment 920,579 71 126 
			 Emergency and urgent care: Dead On Arrival 490 186 7 
			  Notes: 1. National average unit costs are calculated on a weighted basis. 2. 2006-07 data are not directly comparable to 2005-06 due to the change from the HRG3.5 currency in 2005-06 to the HRG4 currency in 2006-07.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of admissions to hospital accident and emergency departments for incidents related to excessive alcohol consumption occurred  (a) between 6.00 p.m. and 10.00 p.m.,  (b) between 10.00 p.m. and midnight and  (c) between midnight and 4.00 a.m.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Allergies: Food

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to improve  (a) identification and treatment of food related allergies and  (b) raise awareness of such allergies in the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people diagnosed with food related allergies in  (a) England and  (b) North West Cambridgeshire, broken down by type of allergy

Ann Keen: We have made no estimate of the number of people diagnosed with food related allergies.
	It is the responsibility of local health bodies to commission services to meet the needs of their local population, this includes those with food related allergies. For most patients treatment would involve advice on avoiding the allergen, with the most severely affected patients being referred to a specialist allergy centre.
	Following the recent departmental review of allergy services, we have taken action on a number of the next steps identified, including:
	asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to consider the development of definitive clinical guidelines for allergic conditions;
	commissioned Skills for Health to develop with stakeholders a national competence framework for allergy;
	commissioned the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to scope the development of care pathways for children with allergic symptoms;
	endorsed the need for more training numbers for allergy as part of the annual review process;
	asked deaneries and trusts to consider the possibility of increasing local training posts for allergy; and
	invited key research funders to note the gaps in the research evidence highlighted in the review.

Ambulance Services: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) fastest,  (b) slowest and  (c) mean response time of emergency ambulances to incidents occurring in Ribble Valley constituency was in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, the hon. Member might want to contact the North West Ambulance Service directly to explore if these data are locally available.
	The ambulance response time data that are collected, and which includes the number of emergency calls received by ambulance trusts across England and their performances against the targets set, are published annually. The latest statistical bulletin, "Ambulance Services, England, 2006-07" was published in June 2007. Copies of the bulletin are available in the Library.

Blood Transfusions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Kettering of 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1298W, on blood transfusions, what methodology his Department will use to assess the costs and benefits of implementing prion filtration; what the timetable is for the conduct of such an assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Prion filtration is one of a number of possible variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease risk reduction measures which will be considered by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs, during 2008. Independent efficacy and safety studies of the only prion filter currently on the market are being conducted, based on advice from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee and the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs. An impact assessment of the introduction of prion filtration will be conducted when adequate data from these studies are available. The guidance on producing impact assessments can be found on the website of the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, at:
	www.berr.gov.uk/files/file44544.pdf.

Blood: Greater London

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by his Department on marketing to increase the number of blood donors in London in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06,  (d) 2006-07 and  (e) 2007-08, broken down by primary care trust.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to break down the marketing costs by primary care trust or by region. However, the following table gives the marketing spend to promote blood donation across England and north Wales by the National Blood Service (NBS).
	
		
			  Financial year  NBS marketing spend (£ million) 
			 2003-04 7.8 
			 2004-05 8.8 
			 2005-06 7.7 
			 2006-07 8.4 
			 2007-08 (for 11 months) 8.1

Bowel Cancer: Screening

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he issues on bowel cancer screening services in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Advice to the national health service to participate in Wave 1 (2006-07) and Wave 2 (2007-08) of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (NHS BCSP) was issued in July 2005 and February 2007 respectively. Advice to the NHS for bids to participate in Wave 3 (2008-09) of the NHS BCSP will be issued shortly.
	Copies of this advice, and all NHS BCSP guidance and quality standards, have been placed in the Library.

Bowel Cancer: Screening

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been screened for bowel cancer in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not available prior to July 2006.
	Roll out of the national NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme only began in April 2006, with the first invitations sent out in July 2006. Full national implementation is expected by December 2009.
	Between July 2006 and 14 March 2008, 1,019,915 testing kits were sent out, of these 552,577 kits have been returned, and there have been 9,768 positive results.

British Association of Immediate Care Doctors: Finance

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he allocated to the support of British Association for Immediate Care doctors in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has not allocated any funding to support the British Association for Immediate Care doctors in each of the last five years.

British Association of Immediate Care Doctors: Standards

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the  (a) performance and  (b) contribution of British Association for Immediate Care doctors in the treatment of severe trauma; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department acknowledges the valuable support that British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) doctors offer to the national health service locally, recognising that the availability of medical advice and assistance can bring added advantages to some seriously injured patients. However, it is a matter for the NHS locally to decide how they use BASICS doctors, and where they are in a position to provide this support, close links will be made to ensure that they are used to the greatest advantage.

Caesarean Sections

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of women opted to have a caesarean section in the last year for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: In 2005-06 there were 593,400 deliveries in national health service hospitals in England. Of these 139,449 were by caesarean section. Elective caesarean accounted for 9.3 per cent. (12,969) of the total.

Cancer

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the survival rates for  (a) breast,  (b) colon and  (c) cervical cancer were in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the survival rates for (a) breast, (b) colon and (c) cervical cancer were in the latest period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence.
	The latest available survival rates for 21 common cancers among adult patients in England diagnosed during 1999-2003 and followed up to the end of 2004 are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=14007&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=192
	One- and five-year survival rates relating to (a) breast, (b) colon and (c) cervical cancer are given in the table below.
	
		
			  One and five-year age-standardised( 1)  relative survival for adult patients( 2)  diagnosed during 1999 to 2003, England, major cancers by sex 
			  Percentage 
			  Cancer( 3)   One-year relative survival  Five-year relative survival 
			 Breast Women 94.2 81.0 
			 
			 Colon Men 68.6 49.6 
			  Women 68.5 50.8 
			 
			 Cervix Women 81.5 63.0 
			 (1) As cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, the relative rates for all ages (15-99) have been age-standardised to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time, thus making them comparable with previously published figures. (2) Aged 15-99 years. (3) Cancers registered in 1999 to 2003 are defined by codes in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD10). Therefore, breast cancer is defined by code C50, colon cancer by code C18 and cervical cancer by code C53.  Source: Office for National Statistics.

Cancer: Expenditure

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure his Department has incurred on  (a) prostate,  (b) breast,  (c) testicular and  (d) ovarian cancer in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information on expenditure by cancer type is not available.
	In 2006-07, 5.2 per cent. of all NHS spending was spent on cancer. In 2006-07, £4.35 billion was spent on cancer services.
	Available figures for earlier years were £3.4 billion in 2003-04, £3.8 billion in 2004-05 and 4.3 billion in £2005-06.

Cancer: Females

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in the London Borough of Havering were diagnosed with  (a) breast cancer,  (b) cervical cancer and  (c) bowel cancer in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many women in the London Borough of Havering were diagnosed with (a) breast cancer, (b) cervical cancer and (c) bowel cancer in each of the last five years. I am replying in her absence.
	The most recent available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer registered in England are for the year 2005. Figures for female patients diagnosed with (a) breast cancer, (b) cervical cancer and (c) bowel cancer in the London Borough of Havering for the years 2001 to 2005 are in the table below.
	
		
			  Registrations of newly diagnosed cases for selected cancers, females, London borough of Havering, 2001 to 2005 
			  Cancer( 1)  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005( 2) 
			 Breast 169 138 195 168 119 
			 Cervical 7 8 10 11 8 
			 Colorectal 45 72 59 55 62 
			 (1) Cancers registered in 2001 to 2005 are defined by codes in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD10). Therefore, breast cancer is defined by code C50, cervical cancer by code C53 and colorectal cancer by codes C18-C20. (2) The fall in the number of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in 2005 suggests that there was under-registration in that year. This is likely to be due to a delay in registration as a result of a boundary change between the Thames Cancer Registry and the Eastern Cancer Registration and Information Centre.  Source: Office for National Statistics.

Cardiovascular System: Diseases

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease.

Ann Keen: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham), on 25 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1191-92W.

Care Homes

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care homes have been  (a) opened and  (b) closed in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: Information is available from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) for the years from 2002-03, when the National Care Standards Commission began work. Prior to this, data on total numbers of homes were collected by local councils, but figures on numbers opening and closing are not held centrally.
	CSCI has provided information on registrations and de-registrations of care homes, which is shown in the following table. The number of de-registrations exceeds the number of permanent closures because homes may deregister temporarily, for example, for refurbishment, on change of ownership or when a new manager is appointed. The numbers of permanent closures cannot be identified separately.
	
		
			  Number of new registrations and de-registrations of care homes by year 
			   De-registrations  New registrations 
			 2002-03 2,443 1,916 
			 2003-04 2,941 2,495 
			 2004-05 1,811 1,374 
			 2005-06 1,921 1,578 
			 2006-07 1,681 1,456 
			 2007-08(1) 1,204 1,087 
			 (1) 1 April 2007 to 4 March 2008.   Source:  CSCI registration and inspection database as at 4 March 2008.

Care Homes

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care homes with  (a) 10 or fewer,  (b) between 10 and 20,  (c) between 30 and 50,  (d) between 50 and 100 and  (e) more than 100 residents have (i) opened and (ii) closed in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: Information is available from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) for the years from 2002-03, when the National Care Standards Commission began work. Prior to this, data on total numbers of homes were collected by local councils, but information on numbers opening and closing is not held centrally.
	CSCI has provided information on the numbers of new registrations and de-registrations of care homes, which are shown in the tables. The number of de-registrations exceeds the number of registrations because homes may de-register temporarily, for example, for refurbishment, on change of ownership or when a new manager is appointed. The numbers of permanent closures cannot be identified separately.
	
		
			  Number of new registrations of care homes by financial year and number of registered places( 1) 
			   Financial year 
			  Number of registered places  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08( 2) 
			 10 or fewer 778 629 466 561 510 389 
			 Between 10 and 20 306 471 263 285 267 199 
			 Between 21 and 29 257 453 237 237 189 146 
			 Between 30 and 50 459 801 304 336 269 231 
			 Between 51 and 100 102 137 100 148 205 118 
			 More than 100 14 4 4 11 16 4 
			 Total 1,916 2,495 1,374 1,578 1,456 1,087 
			 (1) The number of registered places denotes the maximum capacity of the home, not the number of residents at any given time. (2 )To 4 March 2008.  Source: CSCI registration and inspection database as at 4 March 2008. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of de-registrations of care homes by financial year and number of registered places 
			   Financial year 
			  Number of registered places  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08( 1) 
			 10 or fewer 1,557 1,353 651 693 557 392 
			 Between 10 and 20 443 631 432 408 354 262 
			 Between 21 and 29 205 427 326 304 252 196 
			 Between 30 and 50 193 438 351 400 337 271 
			 Between 51 and 100 41 90 51 112 168 81 
			 More than 100 4 2  4 13 2 
			 Total 2,443 2,941 1,811 1,921 1,681 1,204 
			 (1) To 4 March 2008.  Source: CSCI registration and inspection database as at 4 March 2008.

Care Homes: Qualifications

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered care homes have more than 50 per cent. of employees with qualifications at NVQ level 2 or above.

Ivan Lewis: We have been informed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection that, during the year ending 31 March 2007, it inspected 10,093 care homes against standard 28 of the national minimum standards (NMS) for care homes for older people. In total 7,782, or 78 per cent. of homes were found to be either meeting or exceeding the standard, which deals with the numbers of trained staff in each establishment.
	Comparable information is not available for homes inspected against the NMS for care homes for younger adults.

Carers

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to encourage  (a) local authorities and  (b) primary care trusts to nominate a lead person for carers' services; and how many nominations have been notified to his Department.

Ivan Lewis: Although the Department has not specifically required councils and primary care trusts to inform us when they have nominated a carer's lead, we are aware that a significant number have done so since the publication of the White Paper "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say".
	We will consider how such appointments can be further encouraged in the work that is currently under way to revise the Prime Minister's strategy on carers.

Cervical Cancer: Screening

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cervical cancer screenings took place in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The following table shows cervical screening coverage in the areas requested. We are unable to identify Jarrow separately. Jarrow constituency is within South Tyneside Primary Care Trust (PCT), for whom information has been provided.
	Coverage is the percentage of eligible women who have had a cervical screening test result in the previous five years.
	
		
			  Cervical screening programme: coverage of the Target Age Group (25-64) for specified organisations, 31 March 1997 to 2007 
			1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 
			  England   
			  Eligible population (1) 12,240,749 12,582,054 12,453,118 12,604,246 12,667,226 
			  Women screened (less than 5 years since last adequate test) (2) 10,033,255 10,378,399 10,254,930 10,338,759 10,304,333 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) 82.0 82.5 82.3 82.0 81.3 
			  of which:   
			  North East Strategic Health Authority (SHA)  
			  Eligible population (1) 632,702 635,844 637,230 638,030 636,156 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test) (2) 539,659 541,229 534,130 533,106 527,592 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) 85.3 85.1 83.8 83.6 82.9 
			  of which:   
			 QDG Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority(HA)  
			  Eligible population (1) 88,069 87,847 86,676 86,600 86,226 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test)(2) 74,563 74,079 71,965 71,561 70,616 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) 84.7 84.3 83.0 82.6 81.9 
			 5KF Gateshead PCT  
			  Eligible population (1) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 5KG South Tyneside PCT  
			  Eligible population(1) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  England
			  Eligible population (1) 12,714,779 12,686,444 12,804,440 12,886,373 13,099,159 13,192,905 
			  Women screened (less than 5 years since last adequate test) (2) 10,368,952 10,305,215 10,325,821 10,346,486 10,418,583 10,444,133 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) 81.6 81.2 80.6 80.3 79.5 79.2 
			  of which:
			  North East Strategic Health Authority (SHA)   
			  Eligible population (1) 632,024 630,064 631,995 634,377 638,387 646,091 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test) (2) 524,359 520,264 518,820 518,261 516,756 518,142 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) 83.0 82.6 82.1 81.7 80.9 80.2 
			  of which:
			 QDG Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority(HA)   
			  Eligible population (1) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test)(2) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 5KF Gateshead PCT   
			  Eligible population (1) 50,287 49,598 49,518 49,711 50,034 51,220 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test) 41,289 40,653 40,419 40,632 40,380 40,623 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) 82.1 82.0 81.6 81.7 80.7 79.3 
			 5KG South Tyneside PCT   
			  Eligible population(1) 36,838 36,609 36,583 36,497 36,641 37,031 
			  Women screened (less than five years since last adequate test) 30,249 29,917 29,708 29,338 29,071 29,000 
			  Coverage (less than five years since last adequate test) (%) 82.1 81.7 81.2 80.4 79.3 78.3 
			 n/a = not available. (1) This is the number of women in the resident population less those with recall ceased for clinical reasons (2) Data prior to 2002 are estimates, original data were based on last test with a result, not last adequate test (as used currently) and have been adjusted to allow for this.  Notes: 1. National policy for the cervical screening programme is that eligible women aged 25 to 64 should be screened every three or five years (women aged 25 to 49 are screened every three years, those aged 50 to 64 every five years). 2. Jarrow constituency is within South Tyneside PCT, we are unable to identify Jarrow separately. 3. Data prior to 2006 have been estimated to match current SHA boundaries. 4. Data from 2002 to 2006 have been estimated to match current primary care organisation boundaries.  Source:  KC53, Parts A2 and A3, The Information Centre for health and social care.

Chemicals: Health Hazards

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the (i) neurotoxic, (ii) genotoxic, (iii) mutagenic and (iv) carcinogenic effects of long-term exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls on (A) human foetuses, (B) young children and (C) adults.

Dawn Primarolo: The World Health Organisation International Programme on Chemical Safety, with funding from the Department, has recently reviewed the data on the toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls in their Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents Series. This is available at:
	www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad55.htm
	Human studies have identified associations between exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures and adverse reproductive effects (effects on sperm motility, foetal growth rate and development and neurological function in the offspring), and cancer. However, the human studies are restricted by limited exposure data, inconsistency among some results, and the presence of confounding factors; these make it impossible to use them as a basis for risk estimations and thus cannot be assessed.
	Data from animal and related experiments indicate that polychlorinated biphenyls do not have any significant mutagenic or genotoxic properties but they are carcinogenic. Neurodevelopmental effects have been observed in several animal species after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls.

Coeliac Disease: Food

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances' process is for reviewing the quality, range and availability of gluten-free food products on prescription for people with coeliac disease;
	(2)  which commercial and patient groups the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) has consulted in the last six months; and when the ACBS next plans to meet such groups to discuss the provision of gluten-free food on prescription for people with coeliac disease.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not within the remit of the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) to review the quality, range and availability of gluten-free food products on prescription for people with coeliac disease, or to meet with stakeholders to discuss the provision of gluten-free food on prescription for people with coeliac disease.
	The ACBS's primary function is to advise general practitioners on the circumstances in which it would be reasonable to prescribe particular non-medicinal products—mainly foods such as enteral feeds and foods specially formulated for use by people with given medical conditions.
	The ACBS have not met or consulted any commercial or patient groups over the last six months. The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency and the Department, however, have been in discussions with the Infant and Dietetic Foods Association in conjunction with a review currently taking place of the ACBS and its activities.

Coeliac Disease: Food

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the provision of gluten-free food in hospital for people with coeliac disease; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: As set out in Standards for Better Health (Core Standard C15(b)), patients' individual nutritional, personal and clinical dietary requirements should be met. Copies of the publication are available in the Library.
	Patients who follow a gluten-free diet should be treated in exactly the same way as any other patient who—whether for clinical, religious or cultural reasons—requires a special diet. The way these needs are identified and met is a matter for local resolution.
	However, effective admission or pre-admission procedures should ensure appropriate food can be provided as quickly as possible.

Dental Services: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in  (a) Bexley and  (b) London are not accepting new NHS patients.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of dentists accepting new national health service patients is not collected centrally.

Departmental Pay

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the 24-hour overnight allowance for civil servants working for his Department and based in Leeds is when working in London.

Ben Bradshaw: Accommodation in a hotel or guesthouse is usually booked through the Department's travel agent (Expotel). The normal rate for a hotel room under the contract is £95.00 for London. In addition, a meal allowance of up to £22.50 can be claimed for each full 24 hours.
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code.

Disabled: Children

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been allocated to primary care trusts for services  (a) to meet the needs of disabled children and their families and  (b) to meet the additional needs of children with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2393W.

Headaches

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the percentage of the population that experience regular and severe migraine and other headache-related disorders;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of headache disorders on absenteeism in the NHS;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the provision of NHS services for those who experience regular and severe headache disorders;
	(4)  how many specialist headache clinics there are.

Ann Keen: We have made no estimate of the percentage of the population who experience regular and severe migraine and headaches.
	No assessment has been made of the effect of headache disorders on the national health service.
	No assessment has been made of the provision of NHS services for those living with regular and severe headache disorders. The provision of services to meet the needs of those living with migraine and headaches is specifically covered by the National Service Framework (NSF) for Long-term Conditions. The NSF has a 10-year implementation programme from its publication in March 2005, with flexibility for organisations to set the pace of change locally to take account of local priorities and needs. A copy of the NSF is available in the Library.
	Information on the number of specialist headache clinics is not collected.

Headaches: Health Services

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many headache  (a) medical and  (b) nursing specialists operate within the NHS.

Ann Keen: Medical and nursing staff working in the national health service who specialise in treating or diagnosing headaches are not identified in the NHS Workforce Census. There are a variety of causes of a headache and if a cause can be identified then the care of the patient will follow the appropriate clinical pathway.
	In April 2003 the College of General Practitioners and the Department issued joint guidance "Guidelines for the Appointment of General Practitioners With Special Interests in the Delivery of Clinical Service—Headaches". This guidance has been placed in the Library.

Health Services: Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of  (a) his Department's and  (b) NHS expenditure central budgets held at (i) his Department and (ii) strategic health authorities have represented in each of the last five financial years.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table details the level of centrally controlled expenditure as a proportion of total national health service revenue expenditure over the past five years.
	
		
			   Total NHS revenue( 1)  Funding not allocated as part of Revenue Allocations( 2)  'NHS bundle' funding under direct control of strategic health authority (SHA)( 3)  Departmental centrally controlled funding 
			   £ billion  £ billion  £ billion  Percentage  £ billion  Percentage 
			 2003-04 61.866 16.839 n/a n/a 16.839 27 
			 2004-05 66.874 17.546 n/a n/a 17.546 26 
			 2005-06 74.169 20.244 n/a n/a 20.244 27 
			 2006-07 78.467 14.157 5.490 7 8.666 11 
			 2007-08 87.528 17.173 6.946 8 10.228 12 
			 n/a = Not applicable (1) 2003-04 to 2006-07 figures are outturn (the actual year end position), 2007-08 is the estimated outturn position. (2 )This funding is the residual centrally controlled funding after excluding the allocations to primary care trusts that were announced for 2003-04 to 2005-06 on 18 December 2002, and for 2006-07 and 2007-08 on 9 February 2005. (3) As part of the central budget setting for 2006-07 a strategic decision was to taken to transfer responsibility for a significant proportion of central budgets to the SHAs. This would allow them to be set at levels better aligned to meet local needs.

Health Services: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of health service provision in the London Borough of Havering.

Ben Bradshaw: No assessment has been made of the level of health service provision in the London borough of Havering. It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission health services for their local population based on an assessment of local need. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this with the chief executive of Havering PCT.

Health Services: Immigration

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which  (a) bodies and  (b) individuals his Department has issued guidance on the effect of management of applications from non-EEA nationals based on their immigration status.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has issued guidance to its Executive agencies (human resources (HR) managers in the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency) and within the Department to the HR director, HR managers, HR operational teams, the learning and development team, the procurement team (who engage suppliers and contractors) and the peripheral workforce team (working to manage and improve the use of contractors and agency staff).

Health Services: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing the targets for the National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions in Barnsley East and Mexborough constituency.

Ann Keen: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Barnsley PCT, within the national health service to develop locally the levels of service described in the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions (the NSF). The NSF has a 10-year implementation programme from its publication in March 2005, with flexibility for organisations to set the pace of change locally to take account of differences in local priorities and needs. A copy of the NSF is available in the Library.
	Information on the progress that has been achieved locally with regard to the implementation of the targets set out in the NSF can be obtained direct from Barnsley PCT.

Health Visitors

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likely effects on increased recruitment of midwives on the  (a) training,  (b) recruitment and  (c) retention of health visitors;
	(2)  if he will take steps to recruit more health visitors to provide support through the pre-school stage of children's lives;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to change the number of training places for health visitors available  (a) this year and  (b) in the next three years.

Ann Keen: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made a commitment to recruit more specialist nurses and health visitors to tackle public health issues in deprived communities.
	It is the responsibility of local organisations to commission and develop services to respond to local needs, including the recruitment of health visitors and midwives. The Operating Framework for 2008-09 highlights the importance of maternity and children's services and the need for local organisations to commission and provide the necessary services and work force.

Hidradenitis Suppurative

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in improving the treatment of hidradenitis suppurative; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: No assessment has been made.

Home Births

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many home births there were in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 March 2008:
	As the National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question about how many home births there have been in each of the last 10 years. (197338)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2006. The table below shows the number of women who gave birth at home in England and Wales in the years 1997-2006.
	
		
			  Number of women who gave birth at home, England and Wales , 1997 to  2006 
			  Number 
			 1997 14,412 
			 1998 13,815 
			 1999 ,13,271 
			 2000 12,803 
			 2001 12,115 
			 2002 12,697 
			 2003 13,590 
			 2004 14,506 
			 2005 16,501 
			 2006 18,100

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether  (a) he and  (b) Ministers in his Department have met representatives of the Catholic Church to discuss the content of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

Dawn Primarolo: My right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State (Patricia Hewitt) met Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor on 21 June 2006 to discuss a range of issues including the Government's review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. Written correspondence relating to the provisions of the Bill has also taken place. In addition, organisations such as the Guild of Catholic Doctors and the National Board of Catholic Women submitted evidence on the review of the existing law and the Government's legislative proposals to the Department's 2005 public consultation and to the joint Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Committee.

Malaria

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of malaria there have been in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available, broken down by region.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of cases of malaria by region are shown in the following table, with data from 2002 to 2006. Data for 2007 are not yet published.
	
		
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Northern 7 4 5 17 8 
			 North west 61 12 44 66 70 
			 York/Humber 79 63 67 74 57 
			 West Midlands 86 47 53 65 55 
			 East Midlands 34 22 18 43 47 
			 East Anglia 43 33 34 25 37 
			 South east 312 322 296 363 367 
			 South west 60 50 54 53 56 
			 Channel Islands 5 1 2 1 4 
			 London 1,194 1,077 907 984 981 
			 England total 1,881 1,631 1,480 1,691 1,682 
			  Note: Data are not collated in the format requested. However, they are presented by calendar year.  Source:  Malaria Reference Laboratory, Health Protection Agency, 19 March 2008.

Medical Records: Data Protection

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he plans to give to patients on the  (a) procedures relating to and  (b) format of data relating to them in the limited data sets of the secondary users service; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The NHS Care Record Guarantee identifies some of the uses to which limited, commissioning, data sets may be put. The formats of the data are accessible on the NHS Connecting for Health website at:
	www.datadictionary.nhs.uk/web_site_content/navigation/commissioning_data_sets_menu.asp?shownav=l

Mental Health Act 2007

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 748W, on the Mental Health Act 2007, when the code of practice will be finalised; when the secondary legislation will be laid before Parliament; and what the timetable is for  (a) the introduction and  (b) the implementation of the programme by the Care Services Improvement Partnership.

Ivan Lewis: We intend that the majority of changes to the Mental Health Act 1983 (the 1983 Act) made by the Mental Health Act 2007 will be brought into force in October this year. Shortly after the Easter recess we intend to make secondary legislation needed in connection with those changes and to lay before Parliament a revised code of practice for the 1983 Act. The Care Services Improvement Partnership is already working with commissioners, providers, and practitioners to prepare them for the implementation of the changes.

Mental Health Services

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken to safeguard the provision of mental health advocacy services not linked to the operation of the Mental Health Act or Mental Capacity Act.

Ivan Lewis: "Putting People First: a shared vision and commitment to the transformation of Adult Social Care" sets out, for the first time, the vision, ambitions and components of the future system in one place. In particular, it recognises the need to empower citizens to shape their own lives, the support they receive, and the role that access to universal information and advocacy will play in making this a reality.
	The Social Care Reform Grant provides three years of ring-fenced funding to support councils to undertake the necessary reforms to deliver this transformation. Councils will be expected to have made significant steps towards redesigning and reshaping their adult social care services (in the light of their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments), to have the core components of a personalised system in place by 2011.
	One of the core components of a transformed adult social care system is a universal, joined-up information and advice available for all individuals and carers, including those who self-assess and fund. The grant determination is clear that links to advocacy and support services will need to be considered where individuals do not have a carer or in circumstances where they require support to articulate their needs and/or utilise the personal budget.

Mental Health Services: Sexual Offences

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sexual assaults have taken place in NHS mental health accommodation in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect information on sexual assaults centrally.
	We take the issue of safety very seriously. We have made £130 million capital available over the past three years for improvements to the environment in psychiatric intensive care units and adult acute mental health wards. This includes £30 million for acute wards, particularly for women service users. On 5 February, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a renewed commitment in the House to eradicate mixed-sex accommodation in mental health care.
	The environment plays one part in ensuring safety; equally important are policies, procedures and training. We will be publishing guidance for mental health trusts on sexual safety later this year, as part of the revised management of violence guidance.
	We are also improving advocacy services to make sure that service users can more easily bring up issues relating to their personal safety.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department agreed planned levels of NHS spending from 2008-09 to 2010-11 with HM Treasury.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department agreed planned levels of national health service spending from 2008-09 to 2010-11 with HM Treasury on 9 October 2007 on receipt of the 2007 comprehensive spending review settlement letter.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of Choose and Book  (a) Phase 1 release 1,  (b) Phase 1 release 2 and  (c) Phase 2 release 1 deliveries have been made for the (i) NHS IT National Data Spine and (ii) local services in (A) the North Eastern cluster, (B) London, (C) Eastern and East Midlands, (D) North West and West Midlands and (E) Southern.

Ben Bradshaw: Choose and book is a national service and Release 1.0 was originally delivered on 2 July 2004.
	This was against the version of the Spine that was then known as Phase 1 Release 1 (P1R1).
	Since this time, there have been a number of functional and patch releases, all to the National Choose and Book Service and all compliant with the National Spine and Patient Demographics Service. The most recent of these was a Release 3.6.3 delivered on 26 January 2008 and this is the current live version for all users, nationally.
	The next release, 4.0, is a major release due in April 2008 and this will deliver exciting new functionality such as free choice of secondary-care provided services and the ability for service providers to describe their services using SNOMED clinical terminology.
	The clusters A to E have now been superseded by 10 regional strategic health authorities. The original plan was for local service providers in each of these areas to make local General Practitioner and Hospital Patient Administration Systems (PAS) available to integrate with choose and book and the National Spine. The deliveries from each of these are ongoing but all acute trusts in England have services published on choose and book, over 140 of which do so using a compliant PAS system. These are provided in the main by existing systems suppliers that have aligned their systems with the choose and book application and that local acute trusts have chosen to retain.

NHS: Performing Arts

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much was paid by the NHS to the Performing Right Society for small premises licence tariffs in each of the last five years for which data are available.
	(2)  how many NHS premises held Performing Right Society small premises licences in each of the last five years for which data are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The information is not held centrally.

Nurses: Schools

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) school nurses and  (b) whole time equivalent school nurses have been employed in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The annual national health service workforce census collected accurate information on the number of school nurses employed by the NHS in England for the first time in 2004. The number of school nurses from 2004-06 is shown in the following table.
	The 2006 census showed there were 2,968 qualified nurses in the school nursing area of work, an increase of 559 or 23.2 per cent. since 2004. Of these there were 1,129 school nurses with a post registration school nurse qualification. This is an increase of 273 or 31.89 per cent. since 2004.
	
		
			  School nurse numbers, England 
			   Headcount 
			   2004  2005  2006( 1)  Increase 2004-06  Percentage increase since 2004 
			 School nursing service nurses 2,409 2,887 2,968 559 23.20 
			 Of which:  
			 Nurses with a post registration school nursing qualification 856 943 1,129 273 31.89 
			   
			  Full-time equivalent  
			 School nursing service nurses 1,619 1,913 2,053 443 26.76 
			 Of which:  
			 Nurses with a post registration school nursing qualification 607 665 815 208 34.31 
			 (1) More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total work force figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years' figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years' figures is estimated to be less than one per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full-time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time.   Source:  Information Centre for health and social care, Non-Medical Workforce Census, general and personal medical services statistics.

Obesity: Children

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps have been taken to address childhood obesity.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's long-term ambition on obesity is to be the first major nation to reverse the rising tide of obesity and overweight in the population, by enabling everyone to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Our initial focus is on children: by 2020, we aim to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children to 2000 levels.
	We have mapped out the first steps in delivering this ambition in a new £372 million cross Government strategy, "Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government Strategy for England" which was launched in January this year. A copy of the strategy is available in the Library.
	From April 2008, tackling child obesity will be a national priority for primary care trusts (PCTs), working with their local partners. This was set out in the NHS Operating Framework in December 2007.
	"Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: guidance for local areas" was published on 19 March. It sets out actions PCTs and local authorities, in conjunction with their third and private sector partners, will want to consider to deliver their child obesity goals.

Patient Choice Schemes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps the Government has taken to increase choice for patients.

Ben Bradshaw: Since March 2007 the Government have significantly increased choice for patients. In April 2007, the Department published "Maternity Matters: Choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service". A copy of this publication is available in the Library. It introduces new national choice guarantees for women so that by the end of 2009 all women should have choice over where and how they have their baby.
	In June 2007 the Government launched NHS choices, a website that helps patients make choices, including providing more information to inform those choices.
	The 2008-09 "Operating Framework for the NHS in England" includes a generic choice model for people with long-term conditions. A copy of the framework is available in the Library.
	From April 2008 the implementation of 'free choice' means that patients will be able to choose to be referred to over 350 hospitals across England. A series of national health service branded advertisements will run in regional newspapers and on regional radio, designed to raise awareness of choice and to help patients make informed decisions about their choice of provider.

Royal Lancaster Infirmary: MRSA

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many in-patients have contracted MRSA in the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the requested format.

Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1194W, on screening, when developmental work to identify an integrated set of tests will  (a) start and  (b) be completed.

Ann Keen: It is expected that vascular risk assessment will involve a number of well-evidenced tests for cardio-vascular disease and diabetes risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol measurement, body mass index and blood glucose testing (where clinically indicated).
	The developmental work required is to work out the most cost and clinically effective way of offering an integrated set of tests. This is currently under way. Departmental staff expect to be in a position soon to bring forward proposals for discussion with a wide range of stakeholders.

Waiting Lists: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for operations in Hemel Hempstead constituency on 1 January 2008.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the number of people waiting for operations is not collected by constituency.
	Information is collected by national health service organisations. As at 31 January 2008 there were 7,104 people waiting at the West Hertfordshire primary care trust, which serves the Hemel Hempstead area, compared to 9,247 people waiting at the end of January 2007.

Watford Hospital: Private Finance Initiative

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the private finance initiative redevelopment of Watford General Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The prospective £280 million private finance initiative scheme being undertaken by West Hertfordshire Hospital NHS Trust is tied to the wider redevelopment plan for Watford town centre and the football stadium. The trust is presently working on the options appraisal for their outline business case.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to answer Questions 188518 and 188519 on aortic aneurysms, tabled on 20 February 2008.

Ann Keen: Answers will be issued shortly. I regret the delay in replying which is due to an administrative error.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many adults completed  (a) part-time and  (b) full-time level 3 courses in each year since 2001.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows the number of full level 3 achievements by adults in Further Education, Work-based Learning and Train to Gain for each year since 2002/03, the earliest year for which information is available. Breakdowns by full- and part-time are not readily available.
	
		
			   2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06 
			 Further Education 55,400 59,600 67,700 78,100 
			 Work-Based Learning 11,900 12,100 13,200 17,100 
			 Train to Gain — — — — 
			 Total 67,300 71,700 80,900 95,200 
			  Source:  Learning and Skills Council

Chevening Scholarship Programme

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions he has held with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the changes in funding for the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarship programmes.

Bill Rammell: I have had no discussions with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on this issue. The FCO will be managing a consultation process with other Government Departments and business to inform the implementation of these changes and DIUS officials will participate in that exercise.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

John Denham: I have visited the following venues:
	
		
			  Date  Centre  Reason 
			 8 November 2007 Queen Elizabeth Centre, London To attend the Technology Strategy Board 
			 22 November 2007 International Conference Centre, Birmingham To attend the Association of Colleagues conference

Departmental Manpower

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many  (a) men and  (b) women of each Civil Service grade are employed by his Department.

Bill Rammell: The Department employs 784 staff in a wide variety of roles. It was formed as part of the 28 June 2007 machinery of government changes, taking in staff from the former Department for Education and Skills and Department of Trade and Industry. The following table sets out the numbers and proportions of men and women now employed in each of the general salary bands (percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number):
	
		
			  Grade  (a) men  Proportion men (percentage)  (b) women  Proportion women (percentage)  Total 
			 Administrative Assistant 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Administrative Officer 37 5 44 6 81 
			 Executive Officer (EO) and equivalents 45 6 74 9 119 
			 Higher Executive Officer (HEO) and equivalents 92 12 127 16 219 
			 Senior Executive Officer (SEO) and equivalents 64 8 51 7 115 
			 Grade 7 and equivalents 85 11 75 10 160 
			 Grade 6 24 3 17 2 41 
			 Senior Civil Service (SCS) 33 4 13 2 46 
			 Special Adviser 1 0 1 0 1 
			 DIUS Total 382 49 402 51 784

Education: Prisons

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of the hours of education provided in prisons in 2005-06 were in a structured classroom setting.

Bill Rammell: The information requested in not collected centrally. Proposals for developing offender learning delivery arrangements were published in September 2007 in "Developing the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service: The Prospectus". The Prospectus described an intention to expand the provision of learning in prison settings outside a traditional classroom environment. In particular, the Prospectus outlined an intention to deliver more learning in production workshops, prison industries and other regime activities such as catering and horticulture where, although learning is not the primary purpose of the activity, it is possible to acquire and put into practise new skills.

English Language: Further Education

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of courses for qualifications in English for speakers of other languages were taught in further education colleges in the last 12 months.

Bill Rammell: The information is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Further Education: Elderly

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what his policy is on the provision of recreational courses for older people in colleges of further education; what funds have been made available  (a) nationally and  (b) in Gloucestershire, for providing recreational courses for older people at colleges of further education in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 25 March 2008
	 We recognise the many wider benefits of participation in learning and its vital contribution to personal health and wellbeing, community involvement and quality of life as people age. Learning helps older people to fulfil themselves as active citizens and as members of their families and communities. People who keep mentally and physically active not only live longer but live happier and more fulfilled lives and pursuing informal adult learning can play a real part in this. We remain fully committed to ensuring that older learners in every area can benefit from a wide range of informal adult learning opportunities, including learning for its own sake, for personal fulfilment and to sustain an active role in the community, through further education colleges and other learning providers, including the Third Sector. We have also safeguarded funding for learning for personal and community development at £210 million through to 2010/11.
	In Gloucestershire, Informal Audit Learning programmes for older people are managed by Gloucestershire county council using funding provided by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). These programmes are funded from the safeguarded Personal and Community Development Learning (PCDL) budget. It is up to local LSCs and their partners to determine the most appropriate balance and mix of provision for their communities, including opportunities for older learners, in the light of local needs and circumstances and national priorities.
	Gloucestershire county council contracts with a range of providers, including FE colleges, private providers and voluntary and community groups, to ensure that county-wide provision across the county meets the needs of older learners in a large rural county. The following table shows total funding and participation figures across all providers for learners aged 51 and over engaged in informal adult learning programmes in Gloucestershire for the three years 2004/05 to 2006/07 for which information is readily available, together with the respective national budgets.
	
		
			   2004/05  2005/06  2006/07 
			 Total number of learners 14,924 11,550 10,573 
			 Number of older learners (51+) 7,163 5,811 4,913 
			 Percentage of older learners 48 50 46 
			 Expenditure on older learners 51+ (£) 1,262,400 1,278,200 1,083,700 
			 National budget(1) (£ million) (2)234 (2)232 (3)210 
			 (1) PCDL was developed by restructuring Adult and Community Learning (ACL). The two are not directly comparable. (2) Adult and Community Learning. (3) PCDL. 
		
	
	Overall Government investment in the further education sector has increased by 52 per cent. in real terms between 1997 and 2007. Participate funding for adults will increase to around £3.6 billion in 2010-11, an increase of over 17 per cent. compared with 2007-08. We have continued to realign funding towards basic literacy and numeracy, full level 2 and full level 3 qualifications providing skills for employment and further progression in learning away from, for example, very short or low quality courses. This has enabled us to support significant increases in participation for young people and adults in these key programmes, providing them with the education and skills they need to fully participate in an economically successful and socially cohesive society.
	We want to develop a new vision for informal adult learning for the 21st century. In January, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, launched a wide ranging consultation, "Informal Adult Learning: Shaping the Way Ahead", which re-affirms our commitment to this kind of learning and its importance in meeting the basic human need for creativity and stimulation—as well as improving health and well-being in our communities. We want to look at the many different ways in which Government and other organisations support adult learners and to understand what learners from all parts of society actually want. We have been greatly encouraged by the tremendous response of our partners, stakeholders and learners in taking this important consultation forward. I would strongly encourage individuals and organisations, both in Gloucestershire and across the country, to take this opportunity to contribute their views and ideas.

Higher Education: Admissions

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many university students  (a) in England and  (b) at each university in the North East region were (i) mature students, (ii) part-time students and (iii) part-time students aged over (A) 21 years and (B) 40 years in each academic year from 2001-02 to 2007-08.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 6 March 2008
	The latest available information is given in the following table. Figures for the 2007/08 academic year will be available in January 2009.
	
		
			  Number of higher education enrolments in English and North East higher education institutions, postgraduate and undergraduate students—academic years 2001/02 to 2006/07 
			Of all enrolments:  
			Mature( 2)   Of part-time: 
			  Higher Education Institution  All enrolments( 1)  PG  UG  Part- time  Over 21( 3)  Over 40( 3) 
			  English Higher Education Institutions  
			 2001/02 1,726,840 302,395 809,540 708,725 673,830 257,395 
			 2002/03 1,807,665 315,300 850,130 735,495 699,925 267,325 
			 2003/04 1,868,415 328,600 873,705 756,880 718,985 270,860 
			 2004/05 1,895,825 332,675 879,695 760,045 719,225 269,135 
			 2005/06 1,936,420 338,185 885,905 762,870 719,105 268,580 
			 2006/07 1,957,195 343,115 882,585 769,555 717,850 266,770 
			  O f which:   
			  University of Durham   
			 2001/02 14,230 2,965 2,760 2,710 2,675 965 
			 2002/03 15,315 3,200 2,685 2,740 2,715 900 
			 2003/04 16,185 3,320 2,660 2,825 2,810 980 
			 2004/05 16,980 3,565 2,670 3,055 3,025 1,010 
			 2005/06 17,320 3,370 2,990 2,950 2,910 920 
			 2006/07 17,410 3,485 3,125 2,910 2,855 915 
			
			  University of Newcastle Upon Tyne  
			 2001/02 19,395 3,800 6,075 5,500 5,390 3,100 
			 2002/03 18,915 4,105 4,315 3,465 3,340 1,335 
			 2003/04 18,335 3,680 3,990 2,400 2,350 625 
			 2004/03 18,510 3,575 4,325 2,110 2,050 505 
			 2005/06 19,150 3,660 4,330 2,080 2,030 455 
			 2006/07 19,700 3,810 4,360 2,295 2,240 515 
			
			  University of Northumbria at Newcastle  
			 2001/02 22,775 3,165 11,225 7,690 7,270 2,290 
			 2002/03 24,280 3,470 11,845 8,175 7,785 2,535 
			 2003/04 25,070 3,780 11,710 7,935 7,580 2,490 
			 2004/05 25,535 3,910 11,515 7,895 7,445 2,465 
			 2005/06 27,285 3,985 12,525 8,650 8,130 2,760 
			 2006/07 29,630 4,810 13,085 9,890 9,095 3,010 
			
			  University of Sunderland   
			 2001/02 12,665 1,405 6,110 3,895 3,610 1,235 
			 2002/03 16,115 1,440 9,405 6,985 6,465 3,450 
			 2003/04 17,845 1,660 10,660 8,340 7,810 4,115 
			 2004/05 18,635 1,760 11,425 9,735 8,905 4,370 
			 2006/06 20,365 2,015 12,500 10,770 9,715 4,455 
			 2006/07 20,215 2,185 12,185 10,400 9,365 4,210 
			
			  University of Teesside   
			 2001/02 18,115 1,535 11,545 10,040 9,080 3,510 
			 2002/03 19,780 1,715 12,965 11,410 10,430 4,170 
			 2003/04 21,145 1,780 14,030 11,995 11,080 4,485 
			 2004/05 20,430 1,870 13,195 10,970 10,080 4,055 
			 2005/06 21,570 1,770 14,300 12,025 10,910 4,395 
			 2006/07 23,535 2,115 15,765 13,860 12,540 4,820 
			 (1) Includes both full-time and part-time students from the UK and overseas. (2) The definition of mature students differs between levels of study. Postgraduate mature students are aged 25 and over, and undergraduate mature students aged 21 and over. These figures include a small number of students whose age was unknown. (3) Contain double counting of students (i.e. figures for students aged over 40 are also included in those for students aged over 21). These figures include a small number of students whose age was unknown.  Note: Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis and have been rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Higher Education: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people went into higher education from  (a) Enfield and  (b) Enfield North in each of the last 10 years.

Bill Rammell: The latest information is shown in the table. Comparable figures for the 2007/08 academic year will be available in January 2009.
	
		
			  Entrants to undergraduate courses at UK higher education institutions from Enfield local authority and Enfield, North parliamentary constituency—academic years 1997/98 to 2006/07 
			  Academic year  Enfield  Enfield, North 
			 1997/98(1) 2,385 635 
			 1996/99 2,625 720 
			 1999/2000 2,875 750 
			 2000/01 2,990 850 
			 2001/02 3,210 925 
			 2002/03 3,435 1,010 
			 2003/04 3,470 1,070 
			 2004/05(2) 3,695 1,185 
			 2005/06 3,780 1,200 
			 2006/07 3,540 1,125 
			 (1) Figures for 1997/98 exclude the Open University because there are no figures available for entrants to undergraduate courses at the Open University by parliamentary constituency or local authority for this year. (2) Figures for the Open University for 2004/05 have been included but these are known to undercount entrants to undergraduate courses at the Open University.  Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant and are rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	Overall, for all students from England, the UCAS figures show that, compared to 2006, applicants who have been accepted for entry in 2007, rose by 6.1 per cent. to 307,000, the highest ever. Latest figures for students applying for entry in 2008, show that applicants from England are up by 7.1 per cent. compared to 2007.

Overseas Students

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the contribution to the UK economy made by students from overseas at educational institutions in the last five years.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 18 March, 2008
	 The Department has made no specific assessment of the contribution to the UK economy made by students from overseas at educational institutions. However, global value surveys commissioned by the British Council estimate the total value of international students to the UK economy as nearly £8.5 billion in 2003-04, compared with £7.5 billion in 2002-03 and £6.2 billion in 2001-02. Information on later years is not available.

Particle Accelerators

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects on university physics departments and the physics community of withdrawal from the International Linear Collider.

Ian Pearson: I am informed that the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) expects that it will continue to provide support for generic accelerator R and D at a reduced level. The precise level will be determined once it has completed its current review of its programme priorities.

Qualifications: Prisoners

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many prisoners gained an  (a) academic and  (b) vocational qualification in each year since 1992.

Bill Rammell: Data on qualifications are set out in the following annexes. Data are labelled as academic and vocational, but some data are a mix of the two.
	The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and its predecessors has been responsible for policy on offender learning and skills since 2001, with responsibility prior to then resting with the Home Office. Since the creation of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in 2007, responsibility has been split, with this Department taking the lead on offenders aged 18 and over.
	In England the Learning and Skills Council has been responsible for planning and funding offender learning through the Offender Learning and Skills Service since August 2005. This was introduced through a phased transition starting in three regions. As the period covered by the question includes the transition to these new arrangements, data collection has been from a variety of sources and therefore taken some time. Further information about the changes to the delivery arrangements is set out in the Annex D.
	 Annex A
	 LSC OLASS data
	Adult Skills for Life qualifications for the period August 2005 to July 2006: (Offender Learning and Skills Service Development Regions only: south-west, north-west and north-east):
	
		
			  Skills for Life (academic qualifications) 
			   Number 
			 Entry level 1,975 
			 Level 1 8,309 
			 Level 2 1,018 
			 Total 11,302 
		
	
	Adult achievements in 'All Remaining Provision' for the period August 2005 to July 2006: (development regions only):
	
		
			  All remaining provision (a mix of academic and vocational qualifications) 
			   Number 
			 Entry and level 1 2,391 
			 Level 2 3,791 
			 Level 3 112 
			 Other 6,703 
		
	
	Adult Skills for Life qualifications for the period August 2006 to July 2007:
	
		
			  Skills for Life (academic qualifications) 
			   Number 
			 Pre-entry level 161 
			 Entry level 1 3,005 
			 Entry level 2 4,376 
			 Entry level 3 7,188 
			 Level 1 17,512 
			 Level 2 10,650 
			 Total 42,892 
		
	
	Adult achievements in 'All Remaining Provision' for the period August 2006 to July 2007:
	
		
			  All remaining provision (a mix of academic and vocational qualifications) 
			   Number 
			 Below level 1 10,851 
			 Level 1 55,048 
			 Level 2 28,956 
			 Above level 2 2,848 
			 Other provision not covered in above 9,127 
			 Total 106,830 
		
	
	Through OLASS, (GCSEs are now reported separately and the following have been recorded from 1 April 2007 to 30 September 2007:
	
		
			  GCSE—AS/A-level achievements (academic qualifications) 
			   Maths  English  Other  Total 
			 AS/A level 0 0 18 18 
			 GCSE A*-C 18 29 307 354 
			 GCSE below C 91 56 162 309 
			 Total 109 85 487 681 
		
	
	 Annex B
	 Data from Her Majesty's Prison Service
	The Prison Service data on GCSEs and AS/A level achievements by offenders in custody since 1 April 2007 to 30 September 2007 reflects only the GCSEs delivered by the establishments and not those examinations taken by young people in custody, on transfer from schools. In this case the school which has registered the young person will record the qualification.
	The Prison Service estate reported 118 GCSEs and one AS/A level achievements by offenders in custody since 1 April 2007 to 30 September 2007.
	Prior to OLASS, Her Majesty's Prison Service annual reports and the Prison Service Information for Managers Online (PSIMOn) data collection system recorded the following number of achievements:
	
		
			  Basic skills (academic qualifications) 
			  April to March  Entry level  Level 1  Level 2  Total 
			 2000-01 — — 12,764 12,764 
			 2001-02 — — 16,133 16,133 
			 2002-03 9,179 16,989 15,145 41,313 
			 2003-04 12,529 17,864 13,338 43,731 
			 2004-05 20,372 23,816 14,759 58,947 
			 2005-06(1) 15,808 20,090 12,381 48,279 
			 2006-07(2) 5,355 6,724 4,233 16,312 
			 (1) The figures in 2005-06 are for public prisons only, excluding those who transferred to the LSC as part of the implementation of GLASS In August 2005 (north-east, north-west, south-west, Frankland and Manchester— completions for these prisons are included April to July 2005). (2) The figures for 2006-07 are for all public prisons April to July 06, excluding those who transferred to the LSC as part of the OLASS pilot activity in August 2005. Thereafter, the totals include Welsh public prisons only due to the full transfer of responsibility to the LSC. 
		
	
	
		
			  Work skills (vocational qualifications) 
			  April to March  Total 
			 2000-01 — 
			 2001-02 56,320 
			 2002-03 89,201 
			 2003-04 103,583 
			 2004-05 162,966 
			 2005-06(1) 146,053 
			 2006-07(1) 48,198 
			 (1) The figures in 2005-06 are for public prisons only, excluding those who transferred to the LSC as part of the implementation of GLASS In August 2005 (north-east, north-west, south-west, Frankland and Manchester—completions for these prisons are included April to July 2005). (2) The figures for 2006-07 are for all public prisons April to July 06, excluding those who transferred to the LSC as part of the OLASS pilot activity in August 2005. Thereafter, the totals include Welsh public prisons only due to the full transfer of responsibility to the LSC. 
		
	
	 Contracted Prisons
	
		
			  Basic skills (academic qualifications) 
			  April to March  Entry level  Level 1  Level 2  Total 
			 2006-07 2,024 2,404 1,544 5,972 
			 2005-06 1,895 2,123 1,553 5,571 
			 2004-05 1,977 1,570 1,169 4,716 
			 2003-04 971 1,047 895 2,913 
		
	
	
		
			  Work skills (vocational qualifications) 
			  April to March  Total 
			 2006-07 16,572 
			 2005-06 10,131 
			 2004-05 7,674 
			 2003-04 5,654 
		
	
	 Annex C
	 Data from the Open University
	Open University (OU) courses open to prisoners are agreed by the Offenders Learning and Skills Unit (OLSU) working in collaboration with the OU and the Prison Service. Where a prisoner does not have sufficient funds to meet their own learning costs, the OLSU will fund an openings course and/or a first course for a prisoner accepted onto a programme of study leading to an undergraduate qualification. OLSU delivers this funding though an administrative arrangement operated on its behalf by the Prisoners Education Trust. The OLSU also meets the additional tutorial costs the OU incurs in delivering local support to prisoners. This latter support, unlike course fee support, can continue into second and subsequent courses leading to a qualification at undergraduate level.
	Latest data available from the Open University show the following awards to offenders in custody, in England only:
	
		
			  Open University 
			  Award level  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Certificate 15 31 34 73 118 134 121 
			 Degree with honours 4 12 13 8 12 16 14 
			 Degree without honours 1 2 4 2 12 11 7 
			 Diploma 17 12 28 18 20 32 20 
			 Masters 1 0 1 1 2 0 1 
			 Grand total 38 57 80 102 164 193 163 
		
	
	 Annex D
	It may be helpful to provide some additional background to contextualise the information presented in annexes A to C.
	Transfer of responsibility for planning and funding offender learning provision to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) from HM Prison Service was carried out in two stages. The LSC took responsibility for delivery in three development regions from July 2005, with HM Prison Service retaining responsibility in the remaining regions. Having trialled the new delivery arrangement in those three regions, the new service was implemented across England as a whole on 31 July 2006.
	The following illustrates the changes and their timing:
	
		
			   Responsibility 
			 2005-06 HMPS managed 
			  Development regions(1) 
			 2006-07 Development regions 
			  LSC managed 
			 2007-08 (OLASS) 
			 (1) Development regions—north-east, north-west, south-west

Students: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the variable threshold bands are for EU graduates who move abroad and who owe money to the Student Loans Company.

Bill Rammell: We have put in place variable threshold bands to provide a fair system to enable graduates who move abroad to contribute to the costs of their education. The bands are dependent on where the borrower lives and take account of differences in living costs.
	The following table shows what the thresholds are for 2008-09 in other European countries as well as some other common destinations after graduation. The thresholds are updated each year to take account of price changes. This table is reproduced in the annual 'Student Loans: A Guide to Terms and Conditions' booklet and full details can be found at:
	http://www.slc.co.uk/thresholds/index.html
	
		
			  Band  Price level index (UK=100)  Repayment threshold (UK=£15,000)  Countries using the latest available price level index figures 
			 A Less than 30 3,000 Currently does not apply to any countries but may change depending on price changes compared to the UK 
			 B More then 30 but less than 50 6,000 Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia 
			 C More than 50 but less than 70 9,000 Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Malta, Slovenia 
			 D More than 70 but less than 90 12,000 Portugal .Greece, Spain, Cyprus, USA 
			 E More than 90 but less than110 15,000 Italy, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, France, Luxemburg, Finland, Sweden, Japan 
			 F More than 110 but less than 130 18,000 Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland 
			 G 130 or more 21,000 Currently does not apply to any countries but may change depending on price changes compared to the UK

Students: Identity Cards

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  whether Scottish-domiciled higher education students will have to be in possession of an identity card in order to access student loans or other state or Institution-determined support related to their studies at English higher education institutions in 2009-10 or in any subsequent years;
	(2)  whether Welsh-domiciled higher education students will have to be in possession of an identity card in order to access student loans or other state or Institution-determined support related to their studies at English higher education institutions in 2009-10 or in any subsequent years.

Bill Rammell: There are no plans to require students to have an ID card to apply for a student loan or any other form of student support.

Students: Loans

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what notification is required to be given to recipients of student loans on changes in the interest rates charged on such loans.

Bill Rammell: In accordance with the requirements of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 the Student Loans Company (SLC) publishes details of the forthcoming change in the interest rate payable for Mortgage Style (MS) Student Loans before the new rate takes effect on 1 September each year. There is no similar requirement for advance notification for Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) Student Loans which have exemption from arrangements governing consumer credit agreements.
	However, the SLC publishes notices of the change of interest rates affecting all student loan borrowers in national newspapers before 1 September each year. The change is also published on the SLC's and Government websites.
	Borrowers with MS loans are individually informed of the change by the SLC and private sector debt owners before 1 September. This is important as a change in interest rate for these borrowers changes the payments they are required to make. Borrowers with ICR loans receive notification of the change with their annual statements. For the majority these are issued between September and December.
	While any change in the interest rate applied adds to the overall balance of the outstanding loan it does not alter the income-related repayments of these borrowers.

Students: Loans

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of introducing thresholds and rates of student loan repayments of  (a) 0 per cent. on incomes below £20,000,  (b) 5 per cent. on incomes of £20,000 to £29,999,  (c) 7.5 per cent. on incomes of £30,000 to £41,225 and  (d) 12 per cent. on incomes over £41,225; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 20 March 2008
	Introducing repayment thresholds of £20,000, £30,000 and £41,225 with corresponding repayment rates of 5 per cent. 7.5 per cent. and 12 per cent. would have an estimated one-off resource cost of £2 billion (for existing loans) and on ongoing resource cost of £700 million per year (for new loans).
	The income threshold is one of the main features of the income contingent loan scheme. This protects borrowers when they need it as they only pay their loan back once they earn over the threshold. Borrowers currently repay nothing until they earn over £15,000. This strikes the right balance, making payments affordable to the individual and student loans affordable to the public purse. We are committed to maintaining the repayment threshold at £15,000 until 2010 when we will review it.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Airguns: Injuries

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many injuries caused by firearms in each of the last five years were caused by airguns or airsoft guns.

Jacqui Smith: Available information relates to offences in which Air weapons and BB guns/Soft air weapons caused injury by being fired or used as a blunt instrument in crimes recorded in England and Wales.
	Air weapon injuries from 2002-03 up to and including 2006-07 are given in the following table. Separate BB guns/Soft air weapons data are not available centrally for 2002-03 and 2003-04. Data for these weapons are only given from 2004-05 to 2006-07.
	
		
			  Injuries due to Air weapons and BB guns/Soft air weapons in crimes recorded by the police, England and Wales 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			   Air weapons  BB guns/Soft air weapons 
			 2002-03(1) 2,377 (2)— 
			 2003-04 2,395 (2)— 
			 2004-05(3) 1,498 1,844 
			 2005-06 1,182 1,534 
			 2006-07 1,054 1,013 
			 (1 )The National Crime Recording Standard was introduced on 1 April 2002.Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by this. (2 )These data are not available centrally. BB guns/Soft air weapons were separately collected from 1 April 2004. Figures prior to this date were included within 'imitation firearms'. (3) More explicit guidelines for the classification of weapons introduced on 1 April 2004 may have increased the recording of firearm offences .particularly those committed by imitation weapons.

Asylum

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether guidance has been issued to safer neighbourhood police panels on the role of councillors on such panels.

Tony McNulty: The Metropolitan Police Service has issued a guidance document titled 'Guidance on Setting Up and Maintaining Neighbourhood Panels' which also contains advice on the role of councillors on such panels.

Asylum: Repatriation

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on the voluntary assisted return and reintegration programme.

Jacqui Smith: The Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme (VARRP) commenced in 2002 as a development from the Voluntary Assisted Return Programme (VARP). The total cost of VARRP to 31 July 2007 is £37,803,669.80.
	VARRP is co-funded with the European Refugee Fund. These figures include both Home Office and ERF funding.
	As the VARRP 2007 is currently ongoing, the overall cost of this programme is not yet available.

British Crime Survey

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are plans to transfer responsibility for the British Crime Survey to the Office for National Statistics, as recommended by the Statistics Commission.

Jacqui Smith: There are currently no plans to transfer responsibility for the British Crime Survey to the Office for National Statistics.
	The Statistics Commission recommendation was part of a package of proposals to increase public trust in Home Office crime statistics and address any perception that there was a lack of independence in their production. The same issues were considered by the independent Smith review which included cross-party nominees. The Smith review concluded the Home Office should retain responsibility for the survey but recommended some changes to the governance of crime statistics.
	Since the recommendation by the Statistics Commission was made, more fundamental changes to the governance of official statistics are taking place. The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, which comes into effect on 1 April 2008, provides a new statutory framework to ensure the independence of National Statistics of which the British Crime Survey is a part.
	To further strengthen these arrangements, on the same date within the Home Office, responsibility for the production of statistics from the British Crime Survey and other statistics will transfer to the Chief Statistician who has direct professional accountability to the National Statistician for the political independence of such statistics.

Bureaucracy

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the winners of the Reducing Bureaucracy Awards Scheme were in each month since its inception.

Tony McNulty: The Reducing Bureaucracy Awards Scheme was launched in 2003. The awards were held annually and were presented at the Police Federation annual conference. The winners and runners-up for each year are listed as follows:
	 2004
	1st—Inspector John Clucas, Lancashire Constabulary
	2nd—DC Andrew Tomlinson, Metropolitan Police Service, and Sgt Ian Robertson, Metropolitan Police Service, (joint 2nd prize)
	3rd—DS John McKee, Thames Valley Police.
	 2005
	1st—Chief Inspector Steve Radcliffe, Gloucestershire Constabulary
	2nd—Inspector John Clucas, Lancashire Constabulary
	3rd—David Kerr, Greater Manchester Police.
	 2006
	1st—Michael Lombardelli, Metropolitan Police Service
	2nd—Inspector John Clucas, Lancashire Constabulary
	3rd—Mark Crampton, Hertfordshire Constabulary
	Special Award: Dorset Police.

Departmental Accountancy

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to her answer of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 930W, on accountancy, how many distinct budget lines relating to her Department's expenditure and forecasts were reported to the Treasury in each month of 2007-08.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 26 March 2008
	The following table provides the number of data lines the Home Office uploaded on to HM Treasury's Combined On-line Information System (COINS), per month, for financial year 2007-08.
	The change in the number of data lines from June to July is a result of a machinery of government change, the transfer of the National Offender Management Service and the Office of Criminal Justice Reform from the Home Office to the Ministry of Justice.
	The data on COINS is the source of the numbers found in the tables that are published in both the departmental report and the supply estimates.
	
		
			   Number 
			 April 591 
			 May 600 
			 June 610 
			 July 370 
			 August 372 
			 September 385 
			 October 385 
			 November 385 
			 December 385 
			 January 385

Departmental Advertising

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of her Department's initiatives have been advertised to the public in each of the last 10 years; and what the cost of each such campaign was.

Liam Byrne: The following table outlines Home Office advertising spend over the last five years, broken down by year and by policy area.
	
		
			   Campaign  Total media (£) 
			 2002-03 Child Protection on the Internet 705,194 
			  Drug Misuse 19,878 
			  Firearms Amnesty 506,283 
			  Police Recruitment 4,222,741 
			  Tackling Drug Abuse 38,014 
			  Vehicle Crime Reduction 4,362,887 
			
			 2003-04 Child Protection on the Internet 736,878 
			  Domestic Violence 805,140 
			  Drugs (Including FRANK campaign) 2,184,499 
			  Police Recruitment 400,608 
			  Vehicle Crime Reduction 4,296,931 
			  Youth Offenders On Line 38,014 
			
			 2004-05 Acquisitive Crime Reduction 6,100,808 
			  Antisocial Behaviour 366,553 
			  Child Protection on the Internet 290,225 
			  Clean Up Campaign 2005-06 25,722 
			  Domestic Violence 432,263 
			  Drugs (Including FRANK campaign) 2,049,593 
			  Gun Crime 162,042 
			  Police Specials Recruitment 1,885,559 
			
			 2005-06 Acquisitive Crime Reduction 4,123,311 
			  Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign 92,204 
			  Antisocial Behaviour 396,475 
			  Child Protection on the Internet 862,229 
			  Clean Up Campaign 39,819 
			  Crime Stoppers 82,182 
			  Domestic Violence 534,587 
			  Drugs (Including FRANK campaign) 1,524,701 
			  Park Mark Car Parks 94,260 
			  Police Specials Recruitment 1,389,166 
			  Rape 66,153 
			
			 2006-07 Acquisitive Crime Reduction 3,266,192 
			  Alcohol Binge drinking 1,975,005 
			  Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign 231,713 
			  Child Protection on the Internet 46,824 
			  Domestic Violence 800,384 
			  Drugs (Including FRANK campaign) 3,467,021 
			  Immigration 790,860 
			  Knife Amnesty 137,083 
			  PCSO Recruitment 1,748,743 
			  Rape 280,022 
			  Single Non Emergency Number 780,325 
			  Stop and Search 134.501

Departmental Consultants

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) consultants and  (b) agency staff were employed by her Department at the end of (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07 financial year.

Liam Byrne: The Department does not hold a central record of the number of  (a) consultants and  (b) agency staff deployed, and to assemble the requested details from individual contract records would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Consultants

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on  (a) consultants and  (b) agency staff in the financial years (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07.

Liam Byrne: The Home Department engages consultancy firms to support and augment civil servants in the delivery of a specific range of work, including large IT development programmes and, where more cost effective, longer term service delivery programmes.
	The Department's expenditure on these services is allocated across a wide range of firms, from small, specialist companies with niche expertise and few employees, to global multinational organizations offering a broad spectrum and substantial depth of consultancy expertise.
	The Department awards contracts in competition according to the EU Procurement Directives based on value for money. The Department uses OGC framework agreements where appropriate. The use of external consultants provides the Department with specialist knowledge, skill, capacity and technical expertise that would not otherwise be available. Some expenditure is on consultants to whom we have outsourced services, such as IT.
	Expenditure on  (a) consultants in the financial years (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  HO headquarters  IPS  CRB  Total spend 
			 2004-05 55,991,869 4,486,183 729,000 61 ,207,052 
			 2005-06 128,000,000 10,912,741 50,462 138,963,203 
			 2006-07 118,000,000 29,870,522 144,235 148,014,757 
		
	
	The Home Department uses a variety of externally resourced staff to fill roles in the Department that cannot readily be filled by permanent staff. The figures given are drawn from our financial reporting systems and represent various categories of agency and other externally resourced staff, but exclude consultancy services.
	Expenditure on  (b) agency staff in the financial years (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  HO headquarters  IPS  CRB  Total spend 
			 2004-05 37,000,000 5,626,207 703,756 43,329,963 
			 2005-06 38,000,000 7,746,589 354,756 46,101,345 
			 2006-07 40,000,000 26,612,732 301 ,998 66,914,730

Departmental Information Officers

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) press and  (b) communications officers her Department employed in each of the last 10 years.

Liam Byrne: Press and Communications Officers in the Home Office are employed at the Information and Senior Information Officer grades. The following table provides information on the numbers of staff employed or managed by the Communication Directorate during the past 10 years. Data on staff numbers in earlier years and the rest of the department are not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Press Officers  Communication Officers  Total 
			 1999 13 12 25 
			 2000 16 15 31 
			 2001(1) 31 19 50 
			 2002 35 24 59 
			 2003 39 18 57 
			 2004 43 27 70 
			 2005 38 20 58 
			 2006(2) 34 23 57 
			 2007 35 21 54 
			 2008(3) 32 23 56 
			 (1 )Prison Service and Core Home Office Press Office merged. (2 )The total number of Press officers for 2006 onwards includes two part timers, who are employed as a job share. (3) Machinery of Government changes May 2007, 11 Press Officer posts transferred to the Ministry of Justice. The total also includes 5 Borders and Immigration Agency Regional Press Officers, whose posts were created in 2007.

Departmental Official Cars

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what make and model of car  (a) she and  (b) each Minister in her Department selected as their official ministerial car; and what criteria were applied when making the decision in each case.

Liam Byrne: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar and Canning Town (Jim Fitzpatrick) gave to him on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 8W.

Departmental Parliamentary Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff work in her Department's parliamentary branch; and what proportion of their time is spent on dealing with  (a) Parliamentary Questions and  (b) correspondence from hon. Members and Peers.

Tony McNulty: There are seven staff in the Parliamentary Team, three of whom deal exclusively with parliamentary questions, two other post holders deal with parliamentary questions as part of their duties equating to approximately one post. Staff in the Parliamentary Team do not deal with Members or Peers correspondence.

Departmental Written Questions

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is her Department's practice to attach to Written Answers hard copies of earlier replies cited in such Answers where these were previously given to hon. Members other than the hon. Member to whom the Answer is addressed.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 26 November 2007
	It is now the practice of the Department to provide hon. Members with hard copies of earlier replies referred to in answers where that reply was sent to another Member.

Deportation: Zimbabwe

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many Zimbabwean nationals in detention pending deportation were detained because they were found to be working illegally;
	(2)  how many Zimbabwean nationals were in detention centres pending deportation at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: National statistics on persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers as at the last Saturday of each quarter are available from the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	The decision to detain is made on a case by case basis and may be appropriate in one or more of the follow circumstances: to effect removal; to establish a person's identity and claim; where a person presents a risk of abscond or where the application is capable of being considered quickly.
	Information specifically on the number of those who are detained for the purpose of removal from the UK is not centrally collated and could be obtained through examination of individual records only at disproportionate cost.

Deportation: Zimbabwe

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to be able to deport Zimbabwean nationals in detention centres pending deportation.

Liam Byrne: On 29 November 2007 the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) promulgated the determination that Zimbabweans who have claimed asylum in the United Kingdom (UK) and who return to Zimbabwe, voluntarily or otherwise, are not at risk of mistreatment just because they have claimed asylum in the UK or otherwise been in the UK for an extended period. The Border and Immigration Agency will continue to defer enforced returns until the application for permission to appeal the AIT's determination is disposed of.

Domestic Violence: Ethnic Groups

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish the step-by-step guide for women in black and minority ethnic communities who are victims of domestic violence.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The step-by-step guide for women in black and minority ethnic (BME) communities who are victims of domestic violence, which will provide practical advice on steps which victims can take to protect themselves and their children, will be published in spring this year and made accessible to local agencies and community groups.
	We recognise that more work needs to be done, and are currently developing a national BME Working Group of Government, statutory agencies and the third sector which will promote a partnership approach to issues such as domestic and sexual violence, forced marriage, so called 'honour' crimes and female genital mutilation. The group will identify and develop actions and practical tools to assist victims and potential victims.

Drinking Water

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on bottled water in the latest year for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: There are no central records of spend on bottled water held by the Home Department. However our facilities supplier estimates that the cost of bottled water included in official hospitality supplied by them at the Home Office HQ in 2 Marsham Street was £16,125 during 2006-07.

Genetics: Databases

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether people who voluntarily present themselves at police stations routinely have their details added to the national DNA database.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 6 March 2008
	The police may, as part of their investigation of a crime, ask a participant in an intelligence-led screen, a victim, a witness, or some other person who has had legitimate access to a crime scene, to give a DNA sample voluntarily so that their DNA profile can be eliminated from those profiles found at the crime scene. Whether a person presenting themselves voluntarily at a police station is asked for a volunteer DNA sample will depend on the circumstances of the case.

Identity Cards

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the findings of the Crosby Review of identity assurance in respect of the Government's identity card proposals; and what further consideration she has given to the Government's policy on identity cards in the light of the Review.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 13 March 2008
	On 6 March I published the National Identity Scheme Delivery Plan 2008. This reflects the priorities I have set out—national security, public protection; convenience for the individual and cost-effectiveness.
	In developing this plan the Government have benefited greatly from Sir James Crosby's review.
	Sir James Crosby strongly supports a universal identity scheme, including a role for identity cards, and makes a strong case for speedy and consumer-led introduction. He also argues that wherever possible the Government should use the market to deliver aspects of the scheme and this is reflected in our delivery plan.
	Government will need to retain control of the overall quality and security of the scheme, as well as the ultimate decision on whether or not to issue an official identity document to any given individual.
	But the private sector will be better placed to provide services relating to enrolment, such as fingerprint biometrics and digitized photographs, and the distribution of completed identity documents.

Identity Cards

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to Table 4 in the Identity Cards Scheme Cost report published in November 2007, 
	(1)  if she will provide a break down, by main budget heading of the costs which make up the £2,964 million in spending common to passports and ID cards;
	(2)  if she will provide a breakdown by main budget heading of the costs which make up the £1,005 million in spending specific to identity cards;
	(3)  if she will provide a breakdown by main budget headings of the costs which make up the £1,461 million in spending specific to passports.

Jacqui Smith: Providing a further breakdown of common, passport specific and identity card specific cost estimates set out in the Cost Report is commercially sensitive information.
	The Identity and Passport Service is currently engaging in discussions with suppliers for the procurement of services required to operate the National Identity Scheme. Many of these services are aligned to the same level of cost information that would need to be provided to answer these questions.

Illegal Immigrants: Compensation

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for compensation were made by illegal immigrants held in immigration removal centres in England and Wales in each year between 2000 and 2007; and how much compensation was paid.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained through examination of individual records only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were recorded as having made a claim for asylum to a police constable in each of the last five years, broken down by police area.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her latest estimate is of the number of failed asylum seekers who are resident in the UK.

Liam Byrne: No Government have ever been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally and this includes failed asylum seekers. By its very nature it is impossible to quantify accurately and that remains the case.
	Exit controls were phased out from 1994. As part of the Government's 10-point plan for delivery, by Christmas 2008 the majority of foreign nationals will be counted in and out of the country. This will build on the successes of our early testing of the e-Borders programme (Project Semaphore) which already covers over 30 million passenger movements and has led to 18,000 alerts and more than 1,500 arrests.
	This is part of a sweeping programme of border protection which also includes the global roll-out of fingerprint visas, compulsory watch-list checks for all travellers from high-risk countries before they land in Britain and ID cards for foreign nationals.

Immigration Controls: Working Holidays

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people holding working holiday visas who wish to continue their current employment under the proposed points-based system.

Liam Byrne: Details on the number of working holiday makers granted leave to enter the UK are published annually within the Control of Immigration statistics. No record is kept of the employment of WHM during their stay nor their future employment intentions. Copies of the Immigration statistics are in the Library of both houses and can also be found at:
	www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm71/7197/7197.pdf
	Any person wishing to transfer from the Working Holiday Scheme into the Points Based System will be expected to return home to make their application.

Immigration: Biometrics

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when foreign nationals issued with biometric immigration documents will have their details entered on to the National Identity Register;
	(2)  whether foreign nationals already in possession of a biometric visa will be required to apply for an identity card.

Jacqui Smith: The Border and Immigration Agency will begin issuing identity cards in the form of biometric immigration documents to foreign nationals subject to immigration control later this year and this could include foreign nationals who already have had fingerprints recorded for the issue of a visa.
	Foreign nationals details will not be recorded on the National Identity Register until biometric immigration documents are designated under the ID Cards Act 2006. This will take place when the National Identity Register is established.

Immigration: Children

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of children under 16 years of age who have been brought to the UK by parents on a visitor's visa from  (a) Pakistan and  (b) elsewhere and left with relatives settled in the UK while the parents returned home since 1978; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This information is not available.

Immigration: Gurkhas

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Ministers in her Department have had meetings with  (a) Gurkha and  (b) other ex-servicemen's organisations on the immigration status of Gurkhas and their right to apply for British citizenship.

Liam Byrne: There have been no recent meetings between Home Office Ministers and Gurkha and other ex-servicemen's organisations on the immigration status of Gurkhas and their right to apply for British citizenship.

Immigration: Gurkhas

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many Gurkhas who served in the Brigade of Gurkhas before 1997 have been granted UK  (a) residency and  (b) citizenship;
	(2)  how many Gurkhas who retired from the Brigade of Gurkhas since 1997 have been granted UK  (a) residency and  (b) citizenship; and what percentage of eligible persons this represents.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 935-36W.

Immigration: Housing

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 806W, on immigration: housing, how many individual agreements have been reached with local authorities; what the cost of such agreements has been; how many schemes to prevent homelessness have been included in the reimbursement package; what the cost of such schemes has been; how many units of social housing have been occupied by households moving from asylum support as a result of the legacy exercise, broken down by housing sector; and what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the measures outlined in the answer.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 25 March 2008
	In recent months the Border and Immigration Agency has worked with the Local Government Association, Council of Scottish Local Authorities and Welsh Local Government Association, as well as individually with relevant local authorities to agree an approach to the family cases we have recently prioritised who have been allowed to remain in the UK.
	The agreements themselves do not hold a particular cost. A 'transitional costs fund' has been made available where unavoidable, additional expenses have occurred. Local authorities need to submit claims to this fund. Claims will then be assessed on an individual basis and local authorities will be reimbursed appropriately. As yet, this work is not complete.

Ipsos MORI

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies have made to Ipsos MORI in the last 24 months; and for what purposes.

Liam Byrne: Information on the Home Department and its agencies payments to Ipsos Mori in the last 24 months is as follows:
	
		
			  Department/Agency  Total p ayment in last 24 months (£) 
			 Home Department 1,453,199 
			 Identity and Passport Service (IPS) 13,659 
			 Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) 110,000 
		
	
	Ipsos MORI has provided a wide variety of services to the Home Department in the last 24 months. They include Quarterly Opinion Polling on Crime and Immigration, Telephone Survey, facilitation of Young Witness Workshop, Local Victim and Witness Satisfaction Survey, Survey with Focus Group on Home Office Priorities, Arrestee Survey Review, EEA Nationals Survey and Multivariate Analysis of British Crime Survey (BCS) dataset.
	The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) used Ipsos MORI for the 2006 staff survey and subsequent report.
	Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) used Ipsos MORI for both staff surveys and customer surveys.

Last Resort Fund

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding was allocated to the Last Resort Fund to assist women who have experienced domestic violence in 2007-08; and how much is to be allocated in 2008-09.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 25 March 2008
	As a short-term remedy for victims of domestic violence who have no recourse to public funds, the Government made special provision over 2004-05 and 2005-06, with grants of £145,000 to Women's Aid to bolster their 'Last Resort Fund'.
	However, the Government want to see sustainable local solutions for those in need and, in February 2006, circulated a letter to local authorities alerting them to the key issues experienced by these women and how they can be helped.
	Soon we will be announcing details of a new scheme where victims of domestic violence who have no recourse to public funds may be able to have their housing and living costs met. This will be linked to indefinite leave to remain criteria.

Local Government Services: South West

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the terms of the agreement between Southwest One and Avon and Somerset police are; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the outsourcing of local services in the South West to a joint venture partnership; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: There has been no discussion between my right hon. Friends, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the outsourcing of local services in the south west. The terms of any agreement between Avon and Somerset police authority and Southwest One are a matter for the authority.
	It is important that police forces and authorities identify and implement ways to increase value for money. To assist them in this, we have recently agreed with the Association of Police Authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers a new efficiency and productivity strategy for the police service. In pursuit of this strategy it is appropriate for forces and authorities to seek ways to improve the delivery of corporate service functions. This may include implementing internal improvements, exploring outsourcing, or collaborating with other forces and authorities, or with other organisations.

Migrant Workers: EC Enlargement

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the number of self-employed workers from  (a) Romania and  (b) Bulgaria who arrived in Britain in 2007;
	(2)  how many seasonal agricultural workers' cards were issued to workers from  (a) Romania and  (b) Bulgaria in 2007;
	(3)  how many workers from  (a) Romania and  (b) Bulgaria were issued with a registration certificate in 2007.

Liam Byrne: The Government publish quarterly figures on applications under the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations 2006 from Bulgarian and Romanian nationals. The publications provide a breakdown of the various schemes operating under the regulations.
	The most recent publications, relating to the last quarter of 2007, were published on 26 February 2008. Each of the quarterly reports from 2007 are available on the Border and Immigration website:
	http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/
	Copies are available in the House Library.

Drinking Water

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many litres of bottled water were purchased by her Department in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: There are no central records of what volumes of bottled water are purchased by the Home Department. However our 2 Marsham Street HQ building purchased 7,500 litres during the 2006-07 financial year.

Offensive Weapons

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) warnings,  (b) cautions and  (c) charges have been brought against persons for possession of knives in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: The number of persons given a final warning, caution, or 'proceeded against' at magistrates courts for offences involving the possession of knives in England and Wales for the years 1997 to 2006 is shown in the following table. Court proceedings data for 2007 will not be available until the autumn of 2008. Charging data is not held centrally, so information on the number of individuals proceeded against has been provided in lieu of charging data.
	
		
			  N umber of persons given a final warning, caution, and proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences involving the possession of knives in England and Wales for the years 1997 to 2006( 1, 2, 3) 
			   Final warning  Caution  Proceeded against 
			 1997(4) n/a 1,629 4,888 
			 1998(4) n/a 1,976 4,566 
			 1999 28 1,618 4,566 
			 2000(5) 375 1,222 4,625 
			 2001 519 883 5,823 
			 2002 453 1,131 6,963 
			 2003 433 1,070 6,928 
			 2004 578 1,441 7,352 
			 2005 736 2,094 7,319 
			 2006 777 2,300 7,699 
			 n/a = not applicable. (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Data include the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Criminal Justice Act 1988 s.139(1) and (6): Have blade/article which was sharply pointed in public place. Criminal Justice Act 1988 s.139A(1): Having an article with a blade or point on school premises. (4 )The scheme of reprimands and warnings under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 was piloted for 18 months from 30 September 1998 in a few selected areas. The scheme was rolled out nationally and replaced police cautions for juveniles from June 2000. Data for juvenile reprimands and final warnings are included in the 'total cautioned' figures presented in the table. (5) Staffordshire police force were able to submit sample data only for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. These data are therefore excluded from the table.  Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice. Our ref: IOS 165-08 (Table) [Contribution for PQ 194275].

Police

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition is used of  (a) operational and  (b) policy issues in relation to the police service and its accountability to local communities, with reference to Sir Ron Flanagan's review of policing.

Tony McNulty: Day to day operational policing issues in forces are the responsibility of each Chief Constable, who is in turn responsible to that force's police authority for their conduct. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), which represents Chief Officers, has defined best practice in areas such as recruitment practices and the conduct of certain kinds of operations. Policy on policing more generally is decided by the tripartite—the Home Secretary, Chief Officers and Police Authorities—in consultation. The final report of Sir Ronnie Flanagan's independent Review of Policing in England and Wales reinforced the importance of this distinction.

Police: Complaints

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of complaints against the police were  (a) upheld,  (b) dismissed and  (c) dropped by the complainant in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The responsibility for the collation and publication of complaints against the police rests with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Police: Crime Prevention

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which  (a) police forces and  (b) other agencies will receive the portable knife arches and search wands referred to in her Department's Action Plan for Tackling Violence 2008-11.

Vernon Coaker: Search arches and wands are currently being supplied to the police in the Tackling Gangs Action Programme areas (London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool) to supplement existing provision. We have committed to provide further search equipment to police and delivery partners across England and Wales over the next three years and arrangements for this are currently being finalised.

Police: Discipline

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress she has made in implementing the Taylor review on police force discipline; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Much progress has been made and the new arrangements were recently approved by the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales. The new arrangements are designed to modernise the procedures for dealing with issues of misconduct and unsatisfactory performance in a proportionate and timely manner. The procedures are based on the ACAS principles for good employment practice. Provisions to enable the introduction of the new misconduct and unsatisfactory performance arrangements for all police officers in England and Wales are included in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill currently before Parliament. Once the Bill receives Royal Assent, the new Police (Conduct) Regulations 2008 and Police (Performance) Regulations 2008 that set out the detailed arrangements will be laid before Parliament to enable implementation of the new arrangements. Work is at an advanced stage with the National Police Improvement Agency to provide training to support the new arrangements.

Police: Pensions

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had on the reform of police pensions; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Police pensions policy is kept under regular review, and has only recently been subject to major changes. We have introduced the New Police Pension Scheme which applies to new entrants joining on or after 6 April 2006. We have also reformed the way police pensions are financed by introducing on 1 April 2006 a system based on employer contributions which takes away from police authorities the financial burden of meeting the cost of pensions in payment. There have been no specific discussions regarding reform beyond these developments.

Police: Vacancies

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officer vacancies of all ranks there were within  (a) the Metropolitan Police Force and  (b) other constabularies in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: This information has not been collected since 1995 following the introduction of the Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994 which abolished Home Office authorised establishments. It is a matter for the police authority and Chief Officer of Police to determine the number of police officers that each force has.

Racial Hatred: Internet

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought under section 21 of the Public Order Act 1986 for using the internet to distribute or play threatening, abusive or insulting images for the purposes of inciting racial hatred in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The Government take the view that the courts should prosecute the offence, and not the medium through which it is committed. Therefore no separate statistics are kept for offences committed over the internet. Since the Public Order Act 1986 was introduced, there have been a total of 86 prosecutions under the offence of racial hatred, resulting in 60 convictions.

Rape: Prosecutions

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms the Rape Performance Group will use to monitor local performance in relation to rape prosecutions.

Vernon Coaker: The Rape Performance Group uses a range of indicators spanning the criminal justice process. These are:
	The rate of recorded rape offences per 1,000 of the population (a low rate of offences per 1,000 in a force may indicate a low level of reporting);
	The proportion of offences that are categorised as 'no crime';
	The proportion of recorded offences that result in a sanction detection;
	The proportion of charged cases that are subsequently discontinued by the CPS; and
	The proportion of cases going to trial that result in a conviction.
	Its focus is on the system as a whole, with an assumption of shared police and CPS responsibility for the delivery of outcomes. Where the data suggests that the performance of a particular area differs significantly from the national and peer-group averages, the Rape Performance Group will raise this with the relevant chief constable and chief Crown prosecutor to seek further information on the approach to the investigation and prosecution of rape in that area and to offer support, where appropriate, in addressing any performance issues. These performance monitoring arrangements are complemented by the support functions of the joint ACPO/Home Office operational support team and CPS Rape Prosecutions Delivery Unit.

Serious Crime Prevention Orders

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to bring serious crime prevention orders into effect.

Jacqui Smith: The Serious Crime Act 2007 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Transitory Provisions and Savings) Order 2008, which was made on 17 March, will bring the serious crime prevention order provisions of the Act into force on 6 April 2008.

Sexual Offences

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many registered sex offenders there were in each police authority area in each year since 2004; and how many offenders were  (a) cautioned and  (b) charged for failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sexual Offenders Act 2003 in that period.

Vernon Coaker: Table 1 gives the number of registered sex offenders in each police authority area for every year since 2003-04.
	The Government do not routinely collect data on the number of sex offenders cautioned for failing to comply with their notification requirements. However, the Government do collect data on the number of sex offenders who were:
	charged with a serious further offence;
	found in breach of their licence conditions; and
	found in breach of a Sexual Offence Prevention Order.
	Tables 2 to 4 give these figures (in relation to sexual offenders managed at MAPPA levels 2 and 3) for each of the aforementioned categories, by area, for every year since 2003-04.
	
		
			  Table 1: Registered sex offenders by area 
			  Area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 671 674 787 809 
			 Bedfordshire 270 335 394 323 
			 Cambridgeshire 322 353 387 407 
			 Cheshire 429 474 537 577 
			 County Durham 265 306 327 348 
			 Cumbria 231 253 260 280 
			 Derbyshire 479 554 628 609 
			 Devon and Cornwall 725 808 879 920 
			 Dorset 333 352 379 415 
			 Dyfed-Powys 232 275 308 299 
			 Essex 542 680 802 735 
			 Gloucestershire 231 284 311 311 
			 Gwent 319 365 391 406 
			 Hampshire 999 1,035 1,118 1,190 
			 Hertfordshire 280 328 428 400 
			 Humberside 584 645 715 653 
			 Kent 780 954 941 983 
			 Lancashire 726 980 941 998 
			 Leicestershire 484 508 543 534 
			 Lincolnshire 328 380 401 414 
			 London 2,272 2,657 3,113 3,151 
			 Greater Manchester 1,388 1,800 1,643 1,722 
			 Merseyside 791 941 970 975 
			 Norfolk 484 547 637 546 
			 North Wales 308 389 395 405 
			 North Yorkshire 283 315 338 359 
			 Northamptonshire 246 310 344 355 
			 Northumbria 750 851 898 870 
			 Nottinghamshire 651 708 712 747 
			 South Wales 606 765 680 695 
			 South Yorkshire 682 911 791 830 
			 Staffordshire 458 538 627 676 
			 Suffolk 309 368 393 413 
			 Surrey 371 371 390 426 
			 Sussex 581 752 804 789 
			 Teesside 339 393 354 357 
			 Thames Valley 763 822 936 982 
			 Warwickshire 183 231 232 259 
			 West Mercia 565 689 635 655 
			 West Midlands 1,647 2,158 1,925 1,850 
			 West Yorkshire 1,431 1,669 1,373 1,387 
			 Wiltshire 234 266 316 356 
			 Total 24,572 28,994 29,983 30,416 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Sex offenders charged with a serious further offence (SFO) 
			  Area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 
			 County Durham 0 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria 2 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 2 3 2 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 0 0 1 
			 Dorset 0 1 1 1 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1 0 0 0 
			 Essex 0 0 0 1 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 0 1 0 
			 Hertfordshire 3 4 0 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 1 1 0 3 
			 Lancashire 1 0 0 0 
			 Leicestershire 1 0 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 
			 London 0 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 2 6 2 0 
			 Merseyside 2 1 0 1 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 0 1 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 1 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 1 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 0 2 0 
			 South Wales 1 2 1 2 
			 South Yorkshire 1 4 0 1 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 1 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 0 4 0 0 
			 Teesside 2 0 1 0 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 2 4 0 0 
			 West Midlands 2 1 1 0 
			 West Yorkshire 1 0 0 1 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 26 32 12 13 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Sex offenders found in breach of licence by area 
			  Area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 0 3 4 
			 Bedfordshire 1 3 6 4 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 1 0 1 
			 Cheshire 6 5 5 2 
			 County Durham 1 2 2 0 
			 Cumbria 5 0 1 1 
			 Derbyshire 5 4 4 7 
			 Devon and Cornwall 9 11 7 5 
			 Dorset 2 4 1 6 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3 1 4 4 
			 Essex 2 2 2 5 
			 Gloucestershire 2 4 2 1 
			 Gwent 6 0 2 5 
			 Hampshire 2 8 6 7 
			 Hertfordshire 0 2 1 2 
			 Humberside 0 2 10 3 
			 Kent 9 6 11 7 
			 Lancashire 5 2 6 3 
			 Leicestershire 5 10 14 7 
			 Lincolnshire 5 6 5 8 
			 London 4 8 2 4 
			 Greater Manchester 30 38 26 34 
			 Merseyside 6 11 7 12 
			 Norfolk 14 1 3 5 
			 North Wales 2 5 6 4 
			 North Yorkshire 3 2 4 4 
			 Northamptonshire 7 6 6 0 
			 Northumbria 7 7 13 14 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 3 5 2 
			 South Wales 0 11 12 8 
			 South Yorkshire 12 16 1 6 
			 Staffordshire 2 4 2 9 
			 Suffolk 3 1 2 2 
			 Surrey 3 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 16 8 6 9 
			 Teesside 4 2 2 3 
			 Thames Valley 9 6 5 2 
			 Warwickshire 1 1 4 1 
			 West Mercia 8 3 7 8 
			 West Midlands 32 12 6 7 
			 West Yorkshire 33 3 14 2 
			 Wiltshire 1 1 1 0 
			 Total 269 222 226 218 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Sex offenders found in breach of SOPO by area 
			  Area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 0 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 
			 County Durham 0 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 1 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 2 1 1 
			 Dorset 1 0 0 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1 0 1 0 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 1 0 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 1 0 3 1 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 0 2 1 1 
			 Lancashire 4 0 1 1 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 1 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 1 
			 London 0 1 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 1 1 8 0 
			 Merseyside 1 0 0 0 
			 Norfolk 1 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 2 1 1 0 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 0 2 0 2 
			 Nottinghamshire 4 2 1 1 
			 South Wales 0 0 0 3 
			 South Yorkshire 0 0 1 2 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 1 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 0 
			 Teesside 0 0 0 0 
			 Thames Valley 2 1 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 1 
			 West Mercia 0 1 0 0 
			 West Midlands 5 1 0 2 
			 West Yorkshire 1 1 0 0 
			 Wiltshire 1 0 0 0 
			 Total 26 15 21 17

Sexual Offences

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many registered sex offenders in each police authority area  (a) failed to comply with the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and  (b) were found not to be residing at their registered address in each year since 2004.

Jacqui Smith: Data on the number of offenders convicted of a failure to comply with the notification requirements is not collated by police force area. Data on the number of offenders not residing at their permanent address is not collated centrally.
	Figures by area for breaches of licence requirements, sexual offence prevention orders (SOPOs) and for those charged with a serious further offence (SFO) are provided in the following tables in relation to sexual offenders managed at MAPPA levels 2 and 3.
	
		
			  Sex offenders found in breach of SOPO by area 
			  Area  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 
			 County Durham 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 1 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2 1 1 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 1 0 
			 Essex 0 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 1 0 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 3 1 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 
			 Kent 2 1 1 
			 Lancashire 0 1 1 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 1 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 1 
			 London 1 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 1 8 0 
			 Merseyside 0 0 0 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 1 1 0 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 2 0 2 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 1 1 
			 South Wales 0 0 3 
			 South Yorkshire 0 1 2 
			 Staffordshire 0 1 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 
			 Teesside 0 0 0 
			 Thames Valley 1 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 1 
			 West Mercia 1 0 0 
			 West Midlands 1 0 2 
			 West Yorkshire 1 0 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 
			 Total 15 21 17 
		
	
	
		
			  Sex offenders found in breach of licence by area 
			  Area  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 3 4 
			 Bedfordshire 3 6 4 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 0 1 
			 Cheshire 5 5 2 
			 County Durham 2 2 0 
			 Cumbria 0 1 1 
			 Derbyshire 4 4 7 
			 Devon and Cornwall 11 7 5 
			 Dorset 4 1 6 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1 4 4 
			 Essex 2 2 5 
			 Gloucestershire 4 2 1 
			 Gwent 0 2 5 
			 Hampshire 8 6 7 
			 Hertfordshire 2 1 2 
			 Humberside 2 10 3 
			 Kent 6 11 7 
			 Lancashire 2 6 3 
			 Leicestershire 10 14 7 
			 Lincolnshire 6 5 8 
			 London 8 2 4 
			 Greater Manchester 38 26 34 
			 Merseyside 11 7 12 
			 Norfolk 1 3 5 
			 North Wales 5 6 4 
			 North Yorkshire 2 4 4 
			 Northamptonshire 6 6 0 
			 Northumbria 7 13 14 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 5 2 
			 South Wales 11 12 8 
			 South Yorkshire 16 1 6 
			 Staffordshire .4 2 9 
			 Suffolk 1 2 2 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 8 6 9 
			 Teesside 2 2 3 
			 Thames Valley 6 5 2 
			 Warwickshire 1 4 1 
			 West Mercia 3 7 8 
			 West Midlands 12 6 7 
			 West Yorkshire 3 14 2 
			 Wiltshire 1 1 0 
			 Total 222 226 218 
		
	
	
		
			  Sex offenders charged with a  s erious  f urther  o ffence (SFO) 
			  Area  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 0 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 
			 County Durham 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 3 2 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 1 
			 Dorset 1 1 1 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 0 0 
			 Essex 0 0 1 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 1 0 
			 Hertfordshire 4 0 0 
			 Humberside 0 0 0 
			 Kent 1 0 3 
			 Lancashire 0 0 0 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 
			 London 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 6 2 0 
			 Merseyside 1 0 1 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 1 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 1 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria 1 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 2 0 
			 South Wales 2 1 2 
			 South Yorkshire 4 0 1 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 4 0 0 
			 Teesside 0 1 0 
			 Thames Valley 0 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 4 0 0 
			 West Midlands 1 1 0 
			 West Yorkshire 0 0 1 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 
			 Total 32 12 13

Statistics

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of written answers by her Department were later found to contain erroneous statistics in the latest period for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: Records from the start of the current Parliamentary Session show that three parliamentary questions answered by the Department contained erroneous errors in respect of statistics which have since been corrected in the  Official Report. This represents 0.1 per cent. of the 2,892 parliamentary questions tabled to the Department as of 17 March 2008.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will answer question 182622 on the national DNA database, tabled on 24 January 2008 by the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The question was answered on 26 March 2008,  Official Report, column 273W.

TREASURY

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the demand elasticity with respect to the price of  (a) wine,  (b) spirits,  (c) strong beer, lager and cider,  (d) normal strength beer, lager and cider,  (e) fortified wine and  (f) alcopops as defined by the Office for National Statistics; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: Demand elasticities with respect to the price of alcoholic beverages are based on research published in a Government Economic Service (GES) Working Paper (no. 140) in May 2003, available at:
	http://www.customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_PROD_008459

Bank of England: Banking Supervision

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will re-instate to the Bank of England responsibility for banking supervision.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 established the Financial Services Authority as the UK's sole financial regulator and supervisor. The Act introduced a risk-based regulatory regime based on statutory independence, transparency, proportionality and rigorous assessment of cost and benefits, replacing the fragmented, overlapping and burdensome self-regulatory system that had previously governed the financial services sector.
	The Tripartite authorities are, in the light of recent instability in financial markets, consulting on reforms to banking supervision and depositor protection. However, the Government and other authorities remain firmly committed to the existing regulatory framework.

Bowel Cancer: Death

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the survival rate for persons diagnosed with bowel cancer is; and what information he holds on survival rates in  (a) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries,  (b) EU member states and  (c) other countries.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 March 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking what the survival rate for persons diagnosed with bowel cancer is; and what information he holds on survival rates in  (a) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries,  (b) EU member states arid  (c) other countries.
	'Bowel cancer' usually refers to the large bowel (colon and rectum) rather than the small bowel (small intestine). Bowel cancer survival is usually reported separately for the colon and rectum.
	The latest available survival figures for 21 common cancers among adult patients in England diagnosed during 1999-2003 and followed up to the end of 2004 are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=14007&Pos=1&ColRank=1 &Rank=192
	One and five-year survival for colon and rectum cancer for England is tabulated in the following table.
	
		
			  One and five-year agestandardised( 1)  relative survival (percentage) for adult patients( 2)  diagnosed with colon and rectum cancer during 1999-2003 (England), by sex 
			  Cancer( 3)  Patients diagnosed during; 1999-2003, England 
			One-year relative survival (percentage)  Five-year relative survival (percentage) 
			 Colon Men 69 50 
			  Women 69 51 
			 Rectum Men 76 52 
			  Women 77 55 
			 (1) As cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, the relative survival figures for all ages (15-99) have been age-standardised to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time, thus making them comparable with previously published figures. (2) Aged 15-99 years. (3) Cancers registered in 1999-2003 are defined by codes in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Colon cancer is defined by code C18 and rectum cancer by codes C19 - C21.  Source: Office for National Statistics. 
		
	
	Information on five-year survival for colorectal cancer in  (a) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries is published in COECD Health Data 2007: Statistics and Indicators for 30 Countries' and available online at:
	http://www.caliban.sourceoecd.org/vl=3345605/cl=36/nw=1/rpsv/health2007/6-3.htm
	Information on cancer survival in  (b) 17 EU member states (including the UK) and three other European countries is provided by the EUROCARE-4 study. The published data cover each of the four constituent countries of the UK. The most recently published results from this study provide information on survival up to five years after diagnosis for patients diagnosed with cancer during 1995-99 and followed up to the end of 2003. These results were published in:
	Berrino F, De Angelis R, Sant M, Rosso S, Lasota M B, Coebergh J W and Santaquilani M. Survival for eight major cancers and all cancers combined for European adults diagnosed in 1995-99: results of the EUROCARE-4 study. Lancet Oncology 2007; 8: 773-783.
	In addition, period analyses to predict cancer survival up to 10 years for patients diagnosed as recently as 2002 were published in:
	Verdecchi A, Francisci S, Brenner H7 Gatta G, Micheli A, Mangone L, Kunkler I. Recent cancer survival in Europe: a 2000-02 period, analysis of EUROCARE-4 data. Lancet Oncology 2007; 8: 784-796.
	Information on survival for cancer in  (c) other countries is currently being produced by the CONCORD project. This will compare survival among over two million patients diagnosed with cancer of the breast, bowel or prostate during 1990-94 and followed up to 1999 in 31 countries OB five continents. Results from the CONCORD project will be published later in 2008.

Bowel Cancer: Death

Peter Bone: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people died from bowel cancer in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 March 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many-people died from bowel cancer in each year since 1997. (197635)
	The numbers of deaths where bowel cancer was the underlying cause in England and Wales from 1997 to 2006, the latest year for which data are available, are included in the following table.
	
		
			  Deaths from bowel cancer( 1)  England and Wales, 1997-20062 
			   Number of deaths 
			 1997 15,226 
			 1998 14,980 
			 1999 14,564 
			 2000 14,230 
			 2001 14,163 
			 2002 14,289 
			 2003 14,087 
			 2004 14,163 
			 2005 14,115 
			 2006 14.022 
			 (1) Underlying cause of death selected using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 153-154 for the years 1997 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C18-G21 for the years 2001 to 2006. The introduction of ICD-10 for coding cause of death in 2001 means that figures are not comparable with data for years before this date. Comparisons between the data before and after 2001 should therefore be interpreted with caution. An article examining the effects of the change in classification for cancer trends was published in Health Statistics Quarterly 23.* This estimated that the introduction of ICD-10 resulted in an increase in bowel cancer deaths of 1.5 per cent. when compared to ICD-9. *Brock A, Griffiths C, Rooney G (2004) The effect of the introduction of ICD-10 on cancer mortality trends in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 23, 7-17. (2) Deaths registered in each calendar year.

Civil Servants: Location

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proposed relocation of civil servants as recommended by the Gershon review is progressing according to plan; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: As reported by the Chancellor on 12 March, 15,710 civil service posts have been relocated so far against the Government's commitment to relocate 20,000 posts by end March 2010. This represents strong progress by Departments and demonstrates that the initiative is being delivered according to plan.

Construction: Recruitment

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people were recruited into the construction industry in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people were employed in the construction industry in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people have been recruited into the construction industry in each year since 1997 and how many people were employed in the construction industry in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (197444, 197445).
	The definitive source for the number of people employed is normally the Labour Force Survey (LFS). However, the Workforce Jobs Survey is preferred for industry breakdowns of employment and has been used in the attached Table.
	While estimates of the number of recruitments are not available explicitly, figures from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes in jobs from year to year.
	Table 1, attached, provides an estimate of jobs in Construction (Standard Industrial Classification (1992) section F) in the United Kingdom for the month of June for each year from 1997 and the net change on the previous year.
	Workforce Job statistics are published as part of the Labour Market Statistics First Release and can be obtained on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=8286
	As with any survey, results from the Workforce Jobs Surveys are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: Workforce jobs in construction industries( 1) , United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			   Level  Net change on previous year 
			 June 1997 1,780  
			 June 1998 1,835 55 
			 June 1999 1,854 19 
			 June 2000 1,900 46 
			 June 2001 1,917 17 
			 June 2002 1,948 31 
			 June 2003 1,997 49 
			 June 2004 2,069 72 
			 June 2005 2,119 50 
			 June 2006 2,165 46 
			 June 2007 2,230 65 
			 (1) Standard Industrial Classification (1992) section F  Notes: 1. Workforce Jobs figures are a measure of jobs rather than people. For example, if a person holds two jobs, each job will be counted in the Workforce Jobs total. 2. Workforce Jobs figures come from a variety of sources, and where possible, from the employer rather than the individual. Employee Jobs (which is the largest component of Workforce Jobs) come from quarterly surveys of employers carried out by ONS. 3. Other data sources are as follows: Self-employment Jobs are provided by the Labour Force Survey. HM Forces figures are provided by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Government-supported trainees are provided from Administrative Sources.

Debts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average debt  (a) excluding and  (b) including mortgages of (i) women and (ii) men aged between 22 and 29 years in each income decile.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 March 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on what estimate has been made of the average debt (a) excluding and (b) including mortgages of (i) women and (ii) men aged between 22 and 29 years in each income decile. (196641)
	Although the UK National Accounts include balance sheet estimates of total financial liabilities of the household and non profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors, it is not possible to separate these two sectors. Examples of institutions included within the NPISH sector are: charities; trade unions; universities; churches and political parties.
	It is possible to identify loans secured on dwellings by banks, building societies and other types of financial institutions, but it is not possible to break this down by gender, age or income decile.
	The estimates in the following table show total debt including and excluding loans on dwellings and averages using total population estimates. The balance sheet estimates are available up to 2007 and are consistent with data published on the 28(th) March 2008. Population estimates for 2007 are as yet not available so average debt is shown up to 2006.
	
		
			  Year  Total population  (thousand)  Total financial liabilities (£ million)  Average financial liabilities  (£000)  Loans on dwellings by banks (£ million)  Loans on dwellings by building societies (£ million)  Loans on dwellings by other financial institutions (£ million)  Total financial liabilities less loans on dwellings (£ million)  Average financial liabilities less loans on dwellings  (£000) 
			 1987 56,804 270,000 4.75 35,950 131,556 15,305 87,189 1.53 
			 1988 56,916 323,144 5.68 45,335 155,276 22,178 100,355 1.76 
			 1989 57,076 372,302 6.52 79,192 152,558 24,922 115,630 2.03 
			 1990 57,237 418,581 7.31 85,677 176,661 31,071 125,172 2.19 
			 1991 57,439 450,412 7.84 90,372 197,228 32,057 130,755 2.28 
			 1992 57,585 466,498 8.10 96,470 211,351 30,384 128,293 2.23 
			 1993 57,714 482,432 8.36 108,554 219,556 28,380 125,942 2.18 
			 1994 57,862 504,695 8.72 115,929 231,170 27,957 129,639 2.24 
			 1995 58,025 528,927 9.12 139,900 223,237 26,557 139,233 2.40 
			 1996 58,164 550,108 9.46 158,209 223,905 26,195 141,799 2.44 
			 1997 58,314 586,659 10.06 305,687 97,578 26,414 156,980 2.69 
			 1998 58,475 625,134 10.69 320,564 106,331 29,006 169,233 2.89 
			 1999 58,684 675,599 11.51 345,031 113,497 34,326 182,745 3.11 
			 2000 58,886 734,790 12.48 386,334 106,990 41,742 199,724 3.39 
			 2001 59,113 810,665 13.71 418,644 113,413 58,181 220,427 3.73 
			 2002 59,323 923,144 15.56 467,601 123,638 78,151 253,754 4.28 
			 2003 59,557 1,046,913 17.58 511,049 142,312 119,570 273,982 4.60 
			 2004 59,846 1,172,032 19.58 543,063 160,116 172,673 296,180 4.95 
			 2005 60,238 1,249,393 20.74 558,615 167,041 212,670 311,067 5.16 
			 2006 60,587 1,406,464 23.21 586,644 182,367 277,274 360,179 5.94 
			 2007 — 1,532,445 — 604,662 194,277 347,860 385,646 — 
			  Source: United Kingdom Economic Accounts 2007 quarter 4 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=1904

Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at how many events held by his Department  (a) wine and  (b) Fairtrade wine were served in the last three years; and what assessment his Department has made of the merits of serving Fairtrade wine at future events.

Angela Eagle: HM Treasury have held 147 events from January 2005 to December 2007 at which wine supplied by the PFI provider has been served. No Fair Trade wines were served at any of these events.
	Fair Trade wine can be ordered on request by the event organiser. The Treasury encourages the PFI provider to make Fair Trade products available.

Departmental Conflict of Interests

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials notified his Department that they intended to work for  (a) British Aerospace,  (b) British Airways,  (c) BP,  (d) Shell,  (e) Rolls Royce,  (f) HSBC,  (g) Standard Chartered,  (h) RBS  (i) HBOS,  (j) Barclays and  (k) another company on leaving his Department in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: Information on the future employer of officials is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on  (a) alcohol and  (b) entertaining in the last 12 months.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury and its agencies do not separately record amounts spent on alcohol within official entertainment or hospitality spending and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The amounts spent on official entertainment and hospitality in 2006-07 were as follows: HM Treasury (inc. OGC) £193,000; DMO £4,000; ONS £208,000; VOA £48,000; Royal Mint £323,000; GAD £4,000; NS and I £424,000; and OGCbuying.solutions £34,000. All spending on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in "Managing Public Money".

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants,  (b) special advisers and  (c) Ministers in his Department staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in the last 12 months.

Angela Eagle: The latest audited data available on overnight accommodation was set out in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 11 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 1485-86W.
	Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500, as well as the total cost of all ministerial travel overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the "Civil Service Management Code" and the "Ministerial Code".

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the hourly rates of pay of all non-permanent staff working for his Department and its agencies were in each of the last 12 months; and how many staff were receiving each rate in each of those months.

Angela Eagle: Data are not held in such a way to allow access to hourly rates of all non-permanent staff. To attempt to gather these data would represent a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on speech coaching and related consultancy for Ministers in his Department in each of the last 24 months.

Angela Eagle: Speech coaching is not recorded as a separate category of expenditure within the Treasury's accounting system, so the information on spending, if any, is not held.

Emigration

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people emigrated from  (a) the UK and  (b) Merseyside between 2001 and 2007.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question about how many people emigrated from (a) the UK and (b) Merseyside between 2001 and 2007. I am replying in her absence. (196924)
	The latest available estimates of Total International Migration (TIM) are for the calendar year 2006. In the six-year period, 2001 to 2006, emigration of UK residents from the UK for at least a year is estimated to have totalled 2,127,000.
	TIM estimates are not available on this basis for geographical areas below the level of Government Office Region. However figures on international migration, used to calculate the annual mid-year population estimates, are available for local areas. These cover the period from one mid-year to the next. Between mid-2001 and mid-2006, emigration of UK residents from Merseyside for at least a year is estimated to have totalled 30,000 (compared to 1,768,000 from the UK as whole in this five-year period).

Employment Agencies

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1365W, on Employment Agencies, what recruitment agencies his Department has used in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 18 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1496W by the then Financial Secretary my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (Mr. Healey).

Employment: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in employment in Vale of Clwyd constituency in each of the last 11 years.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were in employment in Vale of Clwyd constituency in each of the last 11 years. I am replying in her absence. (196176)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of people aged 16 and over, resident in the Vale of Clwyd constituency, who were in employment in each of the last 11 years. Estimates are obtained from the annual LFS for each 12 month period from 1997 to 2004. For time series comparisons, the APS estimates from 2005 to 2007 are provided covering the 12 month periods ending in March, but the most recently released estimate is also included, which covers the 12 month period ending in June 2007.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	In order to produce estimates for small geographical areas, APS and annual LFS estimates are provided based on survey microdata. These are consistent with the UK population estimates published in February and March 2003, whereas the regional and national estimates published in the Labour Market Statistics First Release are based on more up-to-date population figures, so the two are not directly comparable.
	
		
			  Table 1: People of 16+ in employment in Vale of Clwyd constituency for the past 11 years 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  In employment 
			 February 1997(1) 23 
			 February 1998(1) 24 
			 February 1999(1) 25 
			 February 2000(1) 27 
			 February 2001(1) 29 
			 February 2002(1) 28 
			 February 2003(1) 27 
			 February 2004(1) 29 
			 March 2005(2) 30 
			 March 2006(2) 31 
			 March 2007(2) 30 
			 June 2007(2) 30 
			 (1) Labour Force Survey data.  (2) Annual Population Survey data.

Employment: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) full and  (b) part-time jobs there were in the City of York in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on how many  (a) full and  (b) part-time jobs there were in the City of York in each year since 1997.1 am replying in her absence. (197132).
	The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. This is the preferred source for estimates at the detailed level requested. Employment estimates are distinct from the number of jobs, which come from the Annual Business Inquiry.
	Table 1 attached provides estimates based on people aged 16 and over, in full and part-time employment, resident in the City of York.
	Estimates based on the most recent parliamentary constituency boundaries are only available from 2001. Figures for 2001-2004 are for the twelve months ending February that year. Figures for 2005-2007 are for the twelve months ending March the same year.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	In order to produce estimates for small geographical areas, APS and annual LFS estimates are provided based on survey microdata. These are consistent with the UK population estimates published in February and March 2003, whereas the regional and national estimates published in the Labour Market Statistics First Release are based on more up-to-date population figures, so the two are not directly comparable.
	
		
			  Table 1: Full-time( 1)  and part-time( 2)  employment for people aged 16 and over, resident in the City of York( 3) 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  Full-time  Part-time  Total 
			 February 2001(4) 36 15 51 
			 February 2002(4) 36 15 51 
			 February 2003(4) 37 16 54 
			 February 2004(4) 37 16 53 
			 March 2005(5) 35 14 48 
			 March 2006(5) 37 15 52 
			 March 2007(5) 37 16 53 
			 (1, 2) Includes those full-time and part-time on New Deal. (3) 2005 parliamentary constituency boundary revision. (4) Based on annual Labour Force Survey (LFS). (5) Based on Annual Population Survey (APS).  Notes: 1. In order to produce estimates for small geographical areas, APS and annual LFS estimates are provided based on survey microdata. These are consistent with the UK population estimates published in February and March 2003, whereas the regional and national estimates published in the Labour Market Statistics First Release are based on more up-to-date population figures, so the two are not directly comparable. 2. As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. 3. Due to rounding the totals may not sum.  Source:  Annual Population Survey and annual Labour Force Survey.

Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual cost to the Exchequer of resuming the rolling exemption from vehicle excise duty for historic vehicles over 35 years of age in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 30 January 2008,  Official Report, column 403W. Licensing data does not completely disaggregate by applicable vehicle excise duty rate the population of vehicles manufactured prior to 1974, 1975 and 1976. It is therefore not possible to determine the cost to the Exchequer of extending the exemption on a rolling 35-year basis.

Food: Expenditure

Jamie Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the average annual salary was spent on food at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what percentage of the average annual salary was spent on food at the most recent date for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (196200)
	Figures on the percentage of the annual average salary spent on food are not available. However, information on household income and expenditure is available. In 2005/06 the average United Kingdom household spent 9 per cent of their disposable income on food and non-alcoholic drinks.
	This estimate is based on data collected through the Expenditure and Food Survey, which is a sample survey covering approximately 7,000 households in the UK. Spending on food and non-alcoholic drinks excludes expenditure on take-away meals and snacks, and meals purchased in restaurants. Disposable income includes income from all sources including salaries, self-employment income, benefits, and pensions after the deduction of income tax, council tax and employees' national insurance contributions.

Foreign Workers: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the number of migrant workers in Enfield North constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on what the most recent estimate is of the number of migrant workers in Enfield, North in each of the last ten years. I am replying in her absence. (196799)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles statistics on migrant workers for local areas from the Annual Population survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS). The National Statistics method for estimating the number of migrant workers employed in the UK is routinely based on the number of people at a given time who were born abroad, are of working age (16-64 for men, 16-59 for women), and in employment. This question has been answered on this basis. It means, for example, that some people who are UK nationals will be included in the total of "foreign born" and that people who are working but are above state pension age are not included.
	The table attached shows the numbers of people of working age in employment who were not born in the UK and were resident in Enfield, North Parliamentary Constituency. Estimates are obtained from the annual LFS for each 12 months period ending in February from 1998 to 2004. For time series comparisons, the APS estimates from 2005 to 2007 are provided covering the 12 month periods ending in March, but the most recently released estimate is also included, which covers the 12 month period ending in September 2007.
	When interpreting these figures, it is important to bear in mind that the APS is not designed to cover everyone who is present in the UK. The survey may undercount the numbers of people who were born overseas. The reasons are set out in the table footnote.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	In order to produce estimates for small geographical areas, APS and annual LFS estimates are provided based on survey microdata. These are consistent with the UK population estimates published in February and March 2003, whereas the regional and national estimates published in the Labour Market Statistics First Release are based on more up-to-date population figures, so the two are not directly comparable.
	
		
			  Number of migrant workers( 1)  in  e mployment resident in Enfield, North constituency in the last ten years 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  Migrant workers( 1) 
			 February 1998 (2)— 
			 February 1999 5 
			 February 2000 7 
			 February 2001 7 
			 February 2002 10 
			 February 2003 11 
			 February 2004 10 
			 March 2005 8 
			 March 2006 7 
			 March 2007 13 
			 September 2007 14 
			 (1) Includes males aged 16-64 and females aged 16-59 born outside the UK. Does not include respondents who did not answer the question on country of birth. (2 )Data on migrant workers not available for this period As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to margin of uncertainty. It should also be noted that the country of birth question in the APS may undercount the numbers of people who were born overseas It excludes certain people who have been resident in the UK for less than six months. It excludes students in halls who do not have a UK resident parent. It excludes people in most other types of communal establishments (eg hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites, etc.) It is grossed to population estimates which exclude migrants staying for less than 12 months.  Source:  Annual Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey

HM Revenue and Customs: Bonuses

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2008,  Official Report, column 537W, on HM Revenue and Customs: bonuses, how many HM Revenue and Customs staff received  (a) zero,  (b) minimum (£3,000),  (c) medium (9 per cent. of base salary) and  (d) high (15 per cent. of base salary) bonuses in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: These categories of bonus apply to the SCS grades in HMRC and data is available for the last three performance years.
	
		
			  Performance year  Zero  Minimum  Medium  High 
			 2004-05 102 49 153 109 
			 2005-06 149 19 124 82 
			 2006-07 126 56 127 82

HM Revenue and Customs: Fraud

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 22 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1117W, on fraud in HM Revenue and Customs, what his estimate is of the cost to the public purse of the 35 investigations into suspected fraudulent activity by staff which have taken place since 1 April 2007.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of migration  (a) into and  (b) out of Britain by (i) British citizens, (ii) non-British EU citizens and (iii) non-EU citizens in each age cohort was in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the level of migration (a) into and (b) out of Britain by (i) British citizens (ii) non-British EU citizens and (iii) non-EU citizens was in each age cohort in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (196652)
	The most recent figures on levels of migration by citizenship and age are for 2006. Figures in the attached table are for the ten years 1997 to 2006 and are based on data from the International Passenger Survey (IPS).
	The IPS has been used to provide information requested by citizenship and age because detailed cross tabulations such as these are not available using Total International Migration (TIM), the most comprehensive measure of long-term international migration into and out of the UK. This is due to the nature of the different data sources used to compile TIM estimates.
	
		
			  International migration, estimates from International Passenger Survey: time series, 1997 to 2006, citizenship by age, Great Britain 
			  Thousand 
			 Estimate 
			  Direction   Age  All citizenships  British  Non-British  European Union( 1)  Non-European Union 
			  Inflow 1997 All ages 270 89 181 62 119 
			   Under 15 38 17 21 6 15 
			   15-24 111 19 92 40 52 
			   25-44 99 40 60 15 45 
			   45-59/64 17 10 7 1 5 
			   60/65 and over 5 3 2 (1)— 2 
			 
			  1998 All ages 317 103 214 70 144 
			   Under 15 32 13 19 6 12 
			   15-24 110 23 87 28 59 
			   25-44 155 54 101 34 67 
			   45-59/64 14 7 7 1 6 
			   60/65 and over 6 6 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 
			  1999 All ages 351 112 239 59 180 
			   Under 15 32 15 17 3 14 
			   15-24 125 21 104 27 77 
			   25-44 171 61 109 28 81 
			   45-59/64 18 11 7 (2)— 7 
			   60/65 and over 5 4 1 (2)— 1 
			 
			  2000 All ages 355 99 256 58 199 
			   Under 15 25 7 18 1 16 
			   15-24 124 25 99 27 72 
			   25-44 176 48 128 28 100 
			   45-59/64 26 16 10 1 9 
			   60/65 and over 5 4 2 (2)— 2 
			 
			  2001 All ages 368 106 262 53 208 
			   Under 15 32 12 20 2 18 
			   15-24 122 19 102 25 78 
			   25-44 183 59 125 24 101 
			   45-59/64 25 11 14 3 11 
			   60/65 and over 6 5 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 
			  2002 All ages 382 97 285 55 229 
			   Under 15 26 10 16 2 14 
			   15-24 136 30 105 17 89 
			   25-44 192 44 148 34 114 
			   45-59/64 19 7 12 2 10 
			   60/65 and over 9 6 3 (2)— 3 
			 
			  2003 All ages 423 97 326 61 265 
			   Under 15 32 8 24 4 20 
			   15-24 173 20 154 36 117 
			   25-44 179 46 134 20 114 
			   45-59/64 31 18 13 1 12 
			   60/65 and over 8 5 3 (2)— 3 
			 
			  2004 All ages 515 84 431 105 326 
			   Under 15 31 12 19 3 16 
			   15-24 195 15 180 42 138 
			   25-44 248 40 209 54 154 
			   45-59/64 30 12 18 6 12 
			   60/65 and over 11 5 6 (2)— 6 
			 
			  2005 All ages 491 90 401 118 283 
			   Under 15 20 6 15 1 14 
			   15-24 195 21 174 49 125 
			   25-44 244 45 199 67 132 
			   45-59/64 27 13 13 2 11 
			   60/65 and over 5 5 1 (2)— 1 
			 
			  2006 All ages 521 76 445 132 313 
			   Under 15 41 18 22 5 17 
			   15-24 191 11 180 51 129 
			   25-44 254 34 220 68 152 
			   45-59/64 30 9 21 7 14 
			   60/65 and over 5 4 1 (2)— 1 
			 
			  Outflow 1997 All ages 229 133 96 31 65 
			   Under 15 24 15 9 2 7 
			   15-24 68 35 33 12 21 
			   25-44 115 68 48 15 32 
			   45-59/64 16 10 6 2 4 
			   60/65 and over 6 5 1 (2)— 1 
			 
			  1998 All ages 202 112 90 26 65 
			   Under 15 20 12 8 1 7 
			   15-24 53 20 33 11 22 
			   25-44 106 63 43 13 30 
			   45-59/64 17 10 6 1 6 
			   60/65 and over 6 6 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 
			  1999 All ages 243 113 130 47 83 
			   Under 15 23 13 10 1 10 
			   15-24 66 24 42 15 27 
			   25-44 125 57 68 27 41 
			   45-59/64 23 16 7 2 5 
			   60/65 and over 6 4 2 1 1 
			 
			  2000 All ages 274 138 136 46 91 
			   Under 15 22 15 7 (2)— 7 
			   15-24 65 25 40 16 24 
			   25-44 155 71 83 28 55 
			   45-59/64 28 22 6 2 5 
			   60/65 and over 4 4 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 
			  2001 All ages 248 131 117 40 77 
			   Under 15 22 14 7 2 6 
			   15-24 58 24 34 15 19 
			   25-44 128 59 70 22 48 
			   45-59/64 32 27 5 1 3 
			   60/65 and over 7 6 1 (2)— 1 
			 
			  2002 All ages 304 163 141 42 99 
			   Under 15 20 14 6 1 5 
			   15-24 74 33 41 14 27 
			   25-44 160 77 83 24 59 
			   45-59/64 41 31 10 4 6 
			   60/65 and over 9 7 1 (2)— 1 
			 
			  2003 All ages 309 166 143 41 101 
			   Under 15 29 18 11 3 8 
			   15-24 67 26 41 11 30 
			   25-44 164 79 84 27 57 
			   45-59/64 41 35 5 (2)— 5 
			   60/65 and over 8 7 1 (2)— 1 
			 
			  2004 All ages 308 182 126 34 92 
			   Under 15 24 16 8 1 6 
			   15-24 69 29 40 13 27 
			   25-44 156 82 73 19 55 
			   45-59/64 49 46 3 (2)— 3 
			   60/65 and over 11 9 2 1 1 
			 
			  2005 All ages 327 173 154 47 107 
			   Under 15 24 20 4 (2)— 4 
			   15-24 72 22 50 18 32 
			   25-44 174 90 85 25 60 
			   45-59/64 36 25 11 1 10 
			   60/65 and over 20 16 4 3 2 
			 
			  2006 All ages 368 196 172 59 113 
			   Under 15 26 18 8 2 6 
			   15-24 77 25 52 22 30 
			   25-44 199 98 101 34 67 
			   45-59/64 40 32 8 (2)— 8 
			   60/65 and over 25 22 2 (2)— 2 
			 (1) Up to and including 2003, estimates are shown for the EU15 (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Irish Republic, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden). From 2004 onwards, the estimates are for the EU25 (EU15 plus the 10 countries of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia). These countries are included in the definition for the whole of 2004. These data have been revised following changes to the TIM methodology. Therefore they may not agree with estimates that have been published previously. (2) No data (or less than half the final digit shown).

Income

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average earnings were for each income decile of  (a) men and  (b) women aged between 22 and 29 years in each region in the latest five years for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jill Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average earnings were for each income decile of (a) men and (b) women aged between 22 and 29 years in each region in the latest five years for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (196639)
	Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.
	I attach a table showing the mean, deciles and quartiles for gross weekly earnings for (a) men and (b) women aged between 22 and 29 years, for those working full time in each government office region, for the years 2003 - 2007.
	The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	
		
			  Weekly pay—gross (£)—for male full-time employee jobs by age 22 to 29( a) : United Kingdom 
			  2003 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 58 313 357 205 231 245 259 283 350 389 406 441 x 
			 North West 154 336 400 218 248 261 276 306 374 413 434 470 569 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 126 344 378 223 258 270 286 312 379 423 445 474 571 
			 East Midlands 100 364 392 224 262 275 289 324 398 434 462 484 571 
			 West Midlands 135 346 385 225 257 269 288 314 377 414 442 480 580 
			 East 131 375 474 233 267 288 305 335 417 463 491 528 647 
			 London 282 480 542 270 330 357 380 427 528 592 633 674 876 
			 South East 217 403 436 250 293 308 326 365 441 484 509 556 666 
			 South West 113 333 374 220 250 266 278 305 367 414 438 466 576 
			 Wales 66 328 369 213 242 253 268 296 374 413 443 469 x 
			 Scotland 116 338 379 206 244 259 274 307 371 413 439 467 578 
		
	
	
		
			  2004( b) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 56 340 365 204 237 254 266 301 383 411 431 459 x 
			 North West 149 350 437 221 260 278 289 318 390 434 465 485 576 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 125 361 392 227 261 278 295 326 393 428 456 484 582 
			 East Midlands 97 364 394 226 265 279 297 330 395 435 457 486 576 
			 West Midlands 127 356 394 231 264 276 290 323 395 431 461 493 576 
			 East 127 378 477 231 275 288 306 341 416 461 483 518 624 
			 London 267 480 542 276 336 357 386 433 537 595 633 690 875 
			 South East 210 409 445 257 303 320 336 372 449 494 519 558 672 
			 South West 115 353 394 227 265 280 297 325 393 430 461 481 566 
			 Wales 63 344 388 230 255 269 285 314 384 427 453 477 x 
			 Scotland 119 354 393 220 255 276 290 321 387 427 457 481 616 
		
	
	
		
			  2004( c) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 57 328 358 203 232 244 257 288 367 403 423 454 x 
			 North West 154 347 419 216 250 269 282 311 384 432 462 487 582 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 128 355 381 225 257 272 288 319 390 423 450 476 573 
			 East Midlands 101 358 382 221 258 273 288 317 386 429 449 473 566 
			 West Midlands 131 351 388 226 259 272 285 319 394 429 460 486 576 
			 East 131 365 460 229 272 286 300 333 410 454 475 506 617 
			 London 273 471 532 270 326 350 380 424 528 584 626 674 864 
			 South East 213 402 438 254 298 315 329 365 443 482 510 551 654 
			 South West 116 351 392 226 260 275 289 320 392 436 461 481 575 
			 Wales 65 336 382 226 245 263 276 305 378 418 444 476 x 
			 Scotland 121 350 388 215 252 268 287 317 381 423 456 480 597 
		
	
	
		
			  2005 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 59 326 361 218 248 261 268 294 359 407 430 444 x 
			 North West 166 355 415 220 255 272 286 317 395 448 478 503 610 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 134 353 381 225 253 270 284 319 385 427 445 477 571 
			 East Midlands 108 362 395 229 261 280 299 324 399 433 463 498 594 
			 West Midlands 139 356 419 230 264 277 291 321 392 441 468 493 597 
			 East 145 374 415 242 275 291 307 336 408 460 490 514 625 
			 London 286 489 560 286 343 367 389 441 552 625 671 728 920 
			 South East 226 407 445 255 300 317 335 371 451 490 524 557 671 
			 South West 126 364 407 240 269 286 300 332 396 442 463 494 575 
			 Wales 67 325 368 220 249 260 272 292 358 420 451 475 x 
			 Scotland 128 351 391 220 255 270 283 314 383 430 460 491 595 
		
	
	
		
			  2006( d) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 57 335 390 239 265 275 288 311 382 437 459 495 x 
			 North West 168 366 409 230 265 283 300 330 403 455 479 514 621 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 129 362 396 237 266 282 297 332 399 443 469 495 586 
			 East Midlands 103 364 402 234 267 285 296 330 403 445 475 502 599 
			 West Midlands 136 365 419 233 267 280 297 333 400 445 471 495 591 
			 East 143 396 437 248 288 302 321 357 433 483 509 548 653 
			 London 296 494 563 283 345 377 403 448 556 624 671 728 935 
			 South East 219 412 454 258 300 318 337 374 455 500 526 568 692 
			 South West 127 383 409 248 282 299 314 347 414 454 479 509 586 
			 Wales 65 337 385 234 263 279 288 314 374 428 453 485 x 
			 Scotland 124 367 406 226 260 278 292 334 412 462 490 522 613 
		
	
	
		
			  2006( e) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 58 335 388 239 265 274 288 309 381 435 454 492 X 
			 North West 169 366 407 230 266 284 300 329 401 452 477 511 618 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 131 361 395 238 266 283 297 328 397 441 466 492 588 
			 East Midlands 103 363 399 235 268 285 296 326 402 440 471 498 594 
			 West Midlands 136 365 419 234 267 280 297 333 400 445 471 495 589 
			 East 143 393 433 249 288 300 319 355 430 479 507 545 650 
			 London 296 493 561 282 345 376 402 447 555 620 670 724 932 
			 South East 220 412 453 258 300 318 337 373 454 498 525 565 690 
			 South West 127 383 407 247 281 299 313 345 412 453 479 508 586 
			 Wales 66 336 384 234 263 279 288 313 373 427 448 485 x 
			 Scotland 124 365 403 226 260 277 291 332 408 460 486 520 612 
		
	
	
		
			  2007 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 63 357 401 242 268 280 293 328 406 436 457 485 X 
			 North West 172 379 414 237 272 288 305 345 412 459 494 519 623 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 133 384 424 247 287 299 313 353 427 479 504 528 624 
			 East Midlands 104 383 414 250 289 303 316 352 419 457 477 502 598 
			 West Midlands 141 374 407 244 276 288 301 333 408 450 479 506 606 
			 East 148 398 437 255 290 305 323 356 440 493 517 556 656 
			 London 307 502 574 294 357 383 410 458 556 632 671 732 930 
			 South East 233 420 470 262 307 326 343 383 468 518 549 590 736 
			 South West 127 384 414 253 288 304 323 352 423 461 488 521 601 
			 Wales 70 345 390 240 271 281 294 312 380 431 454 479 x 
			 Scotland 130 382 423 246 280 292 310 346 424 473 507 533 633 
			 x = Unreliable. (a) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. There are two discontinuities in the ASHE results introduced by changes to the ASHE methodology. In 2004 supplementary information was included to improve coverage and in 2006 changes to the sample design were made to improve the quality of the estimates, (for more information see National Statistics website www.statistics.gov.uk). (b) 2004 results (consistent with 2003 results). (c) 2004 results (consistent with 2005 results). (d) 2006 results (consistent with 2005 results). (e) 2006 results (consistent with 2007 results).  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics. 1997-2007 
		
	
	
		
			  Weekly pay—gross (£)—for female full-time employee jobs by age 22 to 29( a) : United Kingdom 
			  2003 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 46 287 309 185 223 234 247 263 315 341 357 380 x 
			 North West 131 299 331 194 224 235 250 275 338 375 395 421 492 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 104 304 332 202 230 244 253 276 346 379 397 421 482 
			 East Midlands 84 300 332 199 225 235 249 269 341 380 398 422 495 
			 West Midlands 108 293 333 193 221 235 248 273 325 375 397 422 500 
			 East 105 323 351 204 237 251 267 296 357 389 408 444 535 
			 London 257 423 462 258 307 326 346 389 463 504 533 559 670 
			 South East 174 349 378 221 260 277 288 324 376 415 442 472 550 
			 South West 89 299 328 204 230 240 252 273 330 373 386 406 468 
			 Wales 48 293 324 198 219 229 241 262 319 369 390 405 x 
			 Scotland 120 307 338 198 231 247 259 282 338 378 405 426 491 
		
	
	—continued
	
		
			  2004( b) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 50 296 325 198 225 237 255 273 332 364 384 403 x 
			 North West 131 312 342 201 234 248 259 282 350 385 414 439 504 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 99 317 347 207 238 250 263 288 356 393 415 440 505 
			 East Midlands 82 325 353 207 240 251 262 295 356 384 406 430 504 
			 West Midlands 105 327 359 207 238 252 267 298 363 400 425 448 543 
			 East 103 340 372 212 249 265 278 310 370 406 427 452 548 
			 London 243 439 477 276 328 346 365 401 478 518 541 572 681 
			 South East 161 366 397 231 269 285 302 336 399 438 456 486 580 
			 South West 90 317 353 216 244 255 267 293 347 384 409 430 498 
			 Wales 49 302 331 206 234 241 254 272 339 382 409 436 x 
			 Scotland 121 326 359 213 241 256 269 293 369 414 439 458 522 
		
	
	
		
			  2004( c) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 50 294 322 197 225 238 252 272 326 364 384 401 x 
			 North West 136 309 337 201 234 246 259 282 342 384 412 430 494 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 102 316 346 205 233 249 259 288 356 393 415 440 506 
			 East Midlands 83 313 340 205 236 246 257 284 348 376 395 422 x 
			 West Midlands 108 325 356 202 235 250 265 291 356 394 425 448 543 
			 East 105 333 362 210 244 260 275 306 364 400 425 449 530 
			 London 258 432 467 270 320 342 356 393 470 509 537 563 672 
			 South East 169 362 387 229 263 278 295 328 393 429 447 474 577 
			 South West 94 314 346 210 238 250 263 288 340 379 395 422 494 
			 Wales 52 293 328 207 231 239 250 267 322 378 396 428 x 
			 Scotland 121 322 355 209 239 251 267 288 363 411 430 454 518 
		
	
	
		
			  2005 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 53 316 347 222 249 256 270 295 355 386 404 432 x 
			 North West 147 326 364 218 245 259 269 299 369 418 436 464 544 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 111 316 350 208 238 252 263 288 355 399 421 449 527 
			 East Midlands 85 327 357 222 249 261 276 296 363 398 423 453 521 
			 West Midlands 115 328 361 211 242 255 269 293 365 402 427 458 526 
			 East 114 340 373 220 247 255 272 307 374 422 446 479 564 
			 London 295 441 473 267 316 338 358 395 479 529 556 585 689 
			 South East 181 370 395 230 271 285 301 335 401 437 458 487 572 
			 South West 107 323 355 217 250 258 270 297 357 393 412 441 523 
			 Wales 55 291 327 213 237 249 258 274 326 367 398 422 499 
			 Scotland 132 324 368 218 244 258 272 297 367 427 457 477 539 
		
	
	
		
			  2006( d) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 55 317 352 224 255 268 274 295 348 394 423 453 518 
			 North West 151 335 368 218 247 261 274 304 375 416 440 466 548 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 104 327 358 219 247 258 269 295 374 413 437 461 533 
			 East Midlands 88 325 360 217 247 262 271 297 364 401 428 450 510 
			 West Midlands 120 344 374 219 251 266 276 307 382 426 451 481 564 
			 East 123 355 380 230 262 276 290 321 385 428 450 469 563 
			 London 297 455 487 280 327 347 371 407 495 548 573 604 718 
			 South East 188 374 399 240 275 290 307 341 403 454 475 498 576 
			 South West 105 335 364 223 259 268 281 307 372 404 423 446 524 
			 Wales 57 319 347 221 245 260 273 294 345 384 399 433 514 
			 Scotland 122 346 387 226 255 269 284 312 386 447 473 500 584 
		
	
	
		
			  2006( e) 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 56 314 350 224 253 268 273 293 345 392 417 446 518 
			 North West 150 333 367 219 247 260 273 303 369 414 438 463 546 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 105 326 357 219 247 257 269 293 367 408 436 461 529 
			 East Midlands 88 326 360 218 247 263 273 299 365 401 428 450 510 
			 West Midlands 121 340 372 219 251 266 277 307 380 422 444 476 557 
			 East 123 354 378 230 263 276 290 321 384 426 449 469 562 
			 London 296 454 486 280 328 347 371 406 493 547 573 600 717 
			 South East 187 374 399 240 276 291 308 340 402 451 474 497 576 
			 South West 106 334 362 223 259 268 280 306 367 403 419 442 524 
			 Wales 58 319 347 221 245 260 273 294 345 383 399 430 513 
			 Scotland 121 345 384 226 254 268 282 310 383 444 466 500 577 
		
	
	
		
			  2007 
			  Percentile 
			  Description  Number of jobs (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 North East 50 326 357 230 257 269 279 298 359 386 406 436 x 
			 North West 156 345 383 228 260 272 285 311 383 430 452 481 573 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 113 333 366 228 256 268 277 300 379 422 447 473 529 
			 East Midlands 93 334 368 222 255 268 280 307 379 410 439 468 550 
			 West Midlands 117 346 382 233 267 278 289 315 386 430 454 492 570 
			 East 127 359 385 235 270 285 297 326 393 430 446 479 567 
			 London 299 472 508 288 344 369 393 433 511 556 581 613 747 
			 South East 189 384 409 242 285 300 316 348 412 457 483 510 596 
			 South West 108 350 382 237 270 285 296 322 381 420 442 472 559 
			 Wales 60 328 359 223 254 268 280 306 357 384 413 448 x 
			 Scotland 124 349 382 227 259 274 288 318 382 434 457 484 576 
			 x = Unreliable. (a) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. There are two discontinuities in the ASHE results introduced by changes to the ASHE methodology. In 2004 supplementary information was included to improve coverage and in 2006 changes to the sample design were made to improve the quality of the estimates, (for more information see National Statistics website www.statistics.gov.uk). (b) 2004 results (consistent with 2003 results). (c) 2004 results (consistent with 2005 results). (d) 2006 results (consistent with 2005 results). (e) 2006 results (consistent with 2007 results).  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics. 1997-2007 
		
	
	—continued

Income

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people had annual employment incomes of  (a) below £10,000,  (b) between 10,000 and £30,000, broken down by £1,000 intervals,  (c) between £31,000 and £100,000, broken down by £5,000 intervals,  (d) between £100,000 and £500,000, broken down by £50,000 interval and  (e) above £500,000 in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people had annual employment incomes of (a) below £10,000, (b) between £10,000 and £30,000 broken down by £1,000 intervals, (c) between £31,000 and £100,000, broken down by £5,000 intervals, (d) between £100,000 and £500,000, broken down by £50,000 interval and (e) above £500,000 in the latest period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (196711)
	Annual average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay who have been in the same job for more than 12 months. ASHE methodology cannot be used to provide estimates of the numbers of employees whose earnings are less than a specific amount, but can be used to provide estimates of percentages of employees in relevant categories. Estimates are for single jobs and not for total employment income.
	I attach a table for 2007, showing the percentage of UK employees in the ranges stated.
	The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a sample of all employees who are members of pay- as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	
		
			  Proportions of all employees( 1)  average annual earnings in the UK for 2007 
			   Percentage 
			 <£10,000 18.9 
			 £10,000 <£11,000 2.7 
			 £11,000 <£12,000 2.9 
			 £12,000 <£13,000 3.1 
			 £13,000 <£14,000 3.0 
			 £14,000 <£15,000 3.4 
			 £15,000 <£16,000 3.4 
			 £16,000 <£17,000 3.3 
			 £17,000 <£18,000 3.2 
			 £18,000 <£19,000 3.2 
			 £19,000 <£20,000 3.0 
			 £20,000 <£21,000 3.0 
			 £21,000 <£22,000 2.7 
			 £22,000 <£23,000 2.8 
			 £23,000 <£24,000 2.5 
			 £24,000 <£25,000 2.5 
			 £25,000 <£26,000 2.4 
			 £26,000 <£27,000 2.2 
			 £27,000 <£28,000 2.1 
			 £28,000 <£29,000 2.0 
			 £29,000 <£30,000 1.9 
			 £30,000 <£35,000 8.0 
			 £35,000 <£40,000 5.6 
			 £40,000 <£45,000 3.3 
			 £45,000 <£50,000 2.1 
			 £50,000 <£55,000 1.5 
			 £55,000 <£60,000 1.0 
			 £60,000 <£65,000 0.8 
			 £65,000 <£70,000 (**)0.5 
			 £70,000 <£75,000 (**)0.4 
			 £75,000 <£80,000 (**)0.4 
			 £80,000 <£85,000 (**)0.3 
			 £85,000 <£90,000 (**)0.2 
			 £90,000 <£95,000 (**)0.2 
			 £95,000 <£100,000 (**)0.2 
			 £100,000 <£150,000 0.8 
			 £150,000 <£200,000 (*)0.2 
			 £200,000 <£250,000 (**)0.1 
			 £250,000 <£300,000 x 
			 £300,000 <£350,000 x 
			 £350,000 <£400,000 x 
			 £400,000 <£450,000 x 
			 £450,000 <£500,000 x 
			 £500,000 + (**)0.1 
		
	
	
		
			  Summary table  Percentage 
			 <£10,000 18.9 
			 £10,000 <£30,000 55.3 
			 £30,000 <£100,000 24.5 
			 £100,000 + 1.3 
			 (1) Both full-time and part-time employees on adult rates who have been in the same job for more than one year. (*) Coefficient of variation is >5% and <=10% (**) Coefficient of variation is >10% and <=20% x Coefficient of variation is >20%  Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value, the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV, for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220.  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics, 2007.

Income Tax

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net effect on income tax receipts of imposing a 50 per cent. rate on those earning £100,000 and over per annum and raising the lower threshold for payment of income tax and national insurance contributions to £12,000 per annum.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 25 March 2008
	The net effect of introducing a new higher rate band at 50 per cent. for incomes above £100,000 and raising the personal allowance to £12,000 would be a cost of around £65 billion for 2008-09. This figure excludes any estimate of behavioural response to the changes which could be significant given the scale of the changes, and which might eliminate a large proportion of the yield from any new higher rate band.
	The estimates cover both income tax and national insurance contributions but assume the higher dividend rate remains at 32.5 per cent. and that the basic rate limit is unchanged.
	The income tax information is based upon the 2005-06 Survey of Personal Incomes and 2008 Budget assumptions.

Income: Greater London

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the decile boundary earnings were for  (a) London and  (b) each London borough in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available, broken down by age cohort.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the decile boundary earnings were for (a) London and (b) each London borough in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available, broken down by age cohort. I am replying in her absence. (196517)
	Levels of earnings including medians, deciles and quartiles, are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom.
	I attach a table showing the mean, deciles and quartiles for gross weekly earnings for full time employees in London by age for 2007. Figures for each London borough broken down by age group are not available. However, aggregate results for London boroughs can be obtained on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ashe
	
		
			  Weekly pay—gross (£)—for full-time employee jobs( 1) : United Kingdom, 2007 
			  Percentiles 
			  Description  Number of jobs( ) (thousand)  Median  Mean  10  20  25  30  40  60  70  75  80  90 
			 London 2,661 581 731 309 383 419 451 513 667 767 838 935 1,275.0 
			 London, age 18-21 78 305 331 203 231 245 256 278 328 356 374 388 (2)— 
			 London, age 22-29 607 481 541 290 350 376 401 445 533 586 623 671 856.9 
			 London, age 30-39 773 651 783 344 436 474 508 576 730 843 924 1,020 1,375.5 
			 London, age 40-49 684 674 869 345 437 479 513 591 759 885 977 1,116 1,631.2 
			 London, age 50-59 410 606 779 329 396 431 462 533 700 807 876 984 1,313.8 
			 London, age 60+ 106 523 679 289 345 372 399 466 597 687 767 847 (2)— 
			 (1) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (2) Estimate unreliable.  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics. 1997-2007

Infant Mortality

John Leech: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 20 December 2005,  Official Report, column 2799W, on infant mortality, what the infant mortality rate was in each year since 2004 in each primary care trust area in England.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31  M arch 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question with reference to the Answer of 20th December 2005, Official Report, column 2799W, on infant mortality, what the infant mortality rate was in each year since 2004 in each primary care trust area in England. I am replying in her absence. (196383)
	The most recent year for which figures are available is 2006; figures requested for the years 2004 - 2006 are given in the attached table.
	
		
			  Infant deaths: numbers and rates by primary care organisation( 1)  in England, 2004 to 2006 
			   Infant deaths 
			   Numbers  Rate per 1,000 live births( 2) 
			  Area of residence  2004  2005  2006  2004  2005  2006 
			 England 3,068 3,078 3,192 5.1 5.0 5.0 
			
			  North East GOR   
			 County Durham 24 31 33 4.5 6.0 6.1 
			 Darlington 6 7 13 4.8 5.7 10.1 
			 Gateshead 7 13 16 3.3 6.1 7.1 
			 Hartlepool 6 2 10 5.6 1.8 8.4 
			 Middlesbrough 8 15 7 4.3 7.8 3.7 
			 Newcastle 18 14 11 6.2 4.7 3.4 
			 North Tees 15 7 14 7.1 3.1 5.9 
			 North Tyneside 8 7 8 3.7 3.1 3.5 
			 Northumberland 6 10 8 2.0 3.3 2.7 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 11 7 12 7.3 4.4 7.9 
			 South Tyneside 5 7 11 3.2 4.6 7.1 
			 Sunderland Teaching 21 6 15 7.1 2.0 4.6 
			
			  North West GOR   
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan 13 16 25 3.6 4.3 6.9 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 9 19 13 4.1 8.3 5.6 
			 Blackpool 7 9 18 4.2 5.5 10.9 
			 Bolton 20 24 27 5.9 6.7 7.4 
			 Bury 13 9 11 5.6 3.9 4.8 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire 23 20 16 4.7 4.1 3.2 
			 Central Lancashire 30 28 31 5.6 5.3 5.7 
			 Cumbria 23 21 23 4.7 4.4 4.7 
			 East Lancashire 31 34 28 6.5 7.1 5.8 
			 Halton and St. Helens 23 26 30 6.5 7.3 8.0 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale 14 15 17 5.0 5.3 6.0 
			 Knowsley 10 10 5 5.3 5.2 2.6 
			 Liverpool 28 44 32 5.6 8.5 5.8 
			 Manchester 54 48 36 8.2 7.2 5.0 
			 North Lancashire 13 18 20 4.4 6.0 6.7 
			 Oldham 26 17 23 8.1 5.3 6.9 
			 Salford 15 15 17 5.5 5.1 5.6 
			 Sefton 7 19 14 2.6 7.4 5.2 
			 Stockport 18 18 8 5.7 5.7 2.4 
			 Tameside and Glossop 10 9 20 3.4 3.1 6.3 
			 Trafford 6 9 13 2.3 3.4 4.7 
			 Warrington 11 12 11 4.8 5.4 4.9 
			 Western Cheshire 15 13 20 6.2 5.3 8.2 
			 Wirral 16 21 15 4.5 5.8 4.2 
			
			  Yorkshire and the Humber GOR   
			 Barnsley 16 10 16 6.3 4.0 5.8 
			 Bradford and Airedale 41 69 62 5.3 8.6 7.6 
			 Calderdale 17 16 12 6.9 6.4 4.8 
			 Doncaster 18 27 26 5.3 7.6 7.2 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 15 11 8 4.9 3.8 2.6 
			 Hull 15 14 24 4.7 4.4 6.9 
			 Kirklees 40 37 39 7.4 7.0 7.1 
			 Leeds 45 59 53 5.3 6.8 5.8 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 4 10 10 2.1 5.1 5.1 
			 North Lincolnshire 11 13 10 6.6 7.4 5.5 
			 North Yorkshire and York 30 39 31 3.9 5.1 4.0 
			 Rotherham 25 16 14 8.5 5.5 4.7 
			 Sheffield 34 30 39 5.5 4.9 6.2 
			 Wakefield District 23 21 16 6.2 5.8 4.2 
			
			  East Midlands GOR   
			 Bassetlaw 10 5 7 8.8 4.5 6.1 
			 Derby City 15 14 10 5.0 4.7 3.1 
			 Derbyshire County 45 29 32 6.1 3.9 4.2 
			 Leicester City 27 24 36 5.9 5.2 7.6 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland 16 38 40 2.3 5.4 5.7 
			 Lincolnshire 39 31 36 6.0 4.6 5.3 
			 Northamptonshire 47 32 46 5.9 3.9 5.4 
			 Nottingham City 21 28 34 6.0 7.5 8.7 
			 Nottinghamshire County 28 28 32 4.0 4.1 4.5 
			
			  West Midlands GOR   
			 Birmingham East and North 52 49 59 8.3 8.0 9.0 
			 Coventry Teaching 35 17 17 8.8 4.4 4.0 
			 Dudley 12 24 23 3.4 6.8 6.5 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching 56 48 52 10.4 8.8 9.6 
			 Herefordshire 9 12 7 5.3 7.3 4.1 
			 North Staffordshire 11 8 5 5.3 3.9 2.6 
			 Sandwell 28 32 37 6.8 7.7 8.9 
			 Shropshire County 10 11 13 3.6 4.0 4.7 
			 Solihull 8 9 12 4.0 4.4 5.7 
			 South Birmingham 26 27 42 6.4 6.3 9.8 
			 South Staffordshire 31 37 40 4.8 5.8 6.1 
			 Stoke on Trent 31 30 23 9.4 8.9 6.8 
			 Telford and Wrekin 11 9 13 5.2 4.4 6.1 
			 Walsall Teaching 31 35 23 9.1 10.2 6.4 
			 Warwickshire 35 23 19 6.1 4.1 3.1 
			 Wolverhampton City 26 20 22 8.5 6.4 6.9 
			 Worcestershire 33 34 25 5.5 5.6 4.1 
			
			  East of England GOR   
			 Bedfordshire 21 22 18 4.4 4.5 3.6 
			 Cambridgeshire 26 25 28 4.2 3.8 4.2 
			 East and North Hertfordshire 21 26 23 3.3 4.1 3.5 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 8 6 5 3.7 2.8 2.3 
			 Luton 20 18 22 6.3 5.6 6.6 
			 Mid Essex 15 13 15 3.8 3.2 3.7 
			 Norfolk 31 35 41 4.3 4.9 5.5 
			 North East Essex 15 15 14 4.9 4.9 4.3 
			 Peterborough 7 17 17 2.9 7.0 6.5 
			 South East Essex 14 12 16 3.9 3.4 4.2 
			 South West Essex 20 15 25 4.0 2.9 4.9 
			 Suffolk 38 20 20 5.9 3.2 3.1 
			 West Essex 10 11 12 3.1 3.3 3.5 
			 West Hertfordshire 25 25 17 3.8 3.8 2.4 
			
			
			  London GOR   
			 Barking and Dagenham 18 11 15 6.5 3.7 4.7 
			 Barnet 15 32 14 3.3 6.8 2.9 
			 Bexley 14 13 12 5.2 4.8 4.3 
			 Brent Teaching 20 22 31 4.6 4.9 6.6 
			 Bromley 18 10 13 5.0 2.7 3.5 
			 Camden 20 14 11 6.6 4.7 3.7 
			 City and Hackney Teaching 15 24 20 3.4 5.4 4.3 
			 Croydon 20 37 30 4.1 7.9 6.0 
			 Ealing 17 21 23 3.6 4.3 4.5 
			 Enfield 23 30 33 5.4 6.7 7.3 
			 Greenwich Teaching 25 15 20 6.7 3.8 4.7 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 9 10 12 3.4 3.7 4.3 
			 Haringey Teaching 30 31 26 7.5 7.7 6.4 
			 Harrow 17 28 14 5.9 9.7 4.8 
			 Havering 10 5 14 3.9 2.0 5.8 
			 Hillingdon 12 14 15 3.5 4.0 4.1 
			 Hounslow 20 23 12 5.5 6.3 3.1 
			 Islington 19 16 13 7.1 5.9 4.6 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4 8 3 1.8 3.6 1.3 
			 Kingston 11 6 7 5.4 3.0 3.4 
			 Lambeth 27 29 28 5.7 6.1 5.7 
			 Lewisham 17 22 22 4.2 5.1 4.8 
			 Newham 45 24 40 8.7 4.5 7.2 
			 Redbridge 20 15 22 5.7 4.2 5.5 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 5 8 5 1.9 3.1 1.8 
			 Southwark 33 19 32 7.4 4.0 6.7 
			 Sutton and Merton 27 23 27 5.3 4.4 4.9 
			 Tower Hamlets 16 17 17 3.9 4.3 4.1 
			 Waltham Forest 31 18 29 7.8 4.5 6.9 
			 Wandsworth 14 27 18 3.2 5.9 3.6 
			 Westminster 16 15 15 5.9 5.2 5.2 
			
			  South East GOR   
			 Berkshire East 14 22 29 2.7 4.1 5.2 
			 Berkshire West 24 28 28 4.3 5.0 4.8 
			 Brighton and Hove City 21 19 20 7.2 6.2 6.5 
			 Buckinghamshire 23 22 21 3.9 3.9 3.5 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald 13 6 18 4.1 1.9 5.7 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent 32 43 39 4.2 5.5 4.8 
			 Hampshire 44 40 45 3.2 3.0 3.2 
			 Hastings and Rother 10 7 11 6.0 4.2 6.0 
			 Isle of Wight National Health Service 5 0 3 4.2 0.0 2.3 
			 Medway 23 10 13 7.3 3.2 4.0 
			 Milton Keynes 15 17 20 4.6 5.2 5.8 
			 Oxfordshire 32 32 33 4.4 4.4 4.3 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching 12 10 8 5.2 4.3 3.2 
			 Southampton City 5 14 14 1.9 5.0 4.8 
			 Surrey 34 40 40 2.8 3.3 3.1 
			 West Kent 25 31 27 3.3 4.0 3.3 
			 West Sussex 32 26 39 3.9 3.2 4.6 
			
			  South West GOR   
			 Bath and North East Somerset 9 3 10 5.5 1.8 5.6 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 14 17 16 4.4 5.5 4.7 
			 Bristol 28 27 25 5.3 5.0 4.4 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 29 22 22 6.1 4.6 4.3 
			 Devon 34 34 28 5.1 5.1 4.1 
			 Dorset 14 18 14 4.1 5.2 4.0 
			 Gloucestershire 28 29 25 4.7 4.9 4.0 
			 North Somerset 7 5 8 3.4 2.5 3.8 
			 Plymouth Teaching 14 15 12 5.0 5.3 4.0 
			 Somerset 23 22 21 4.5 4.3 4.0 
			 South Gloucestershire 13 8 10 4.5 2.7 3.4 
			 Swindon 17 11 10 6.8 4.3 3.8 
			 Torbay 5 9 5 3.9 6.8 3.9 
			 Wiltshire 13 18 16 2.7 3.7 3.2 
			 (1 )Primary care organisation boundaries as of 2008 (2 )Based on numbers of live births and deaths registered in each year to residents of each primary care organisation

Ipsos MORI

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what payments  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have made to Ipsos MORI in the last 24 months; and for what purposes.

Angela Eagle: The following Departments made payments to Ipsos MORI in the financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Department  Purpose of expenditure  2005-06  2006-07 
			 HMRC Qualitative research; evaluations and surveys 1,137 1,004 
			 NS and I Monthly Customer Satisfaction Survey; subscriptions to the Personal Finance Journalist Survey and Corporate Image Survey; usability research on parts of the NS and I website; and running bespoke Omnibus questions used in a media campaign 469 52 
			 ONS Website surveys 21 28

Life Expectancy: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of average life expectancy for  (a) men and  (b) women in (i) Castle Point constituency and (ii) Essex in (A) 1997 and (B) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what estimate has been made of average life expectancy for  (a) men and  (b) women in (i) Castle Point constituency and (ii) Essex in (A) 1997 and (B) the latest period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (197640)
	Period life expectancies at birth for  (a) males and  (b) females for all local authority districts and unitary authorities in England and Wales, for rolling three-year periods from 1991-93 to 2004-06, are published on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Productasp?vInk=8841
	Life expectancy figures at parliamentary constituency and county level are not readily available.

Life Expectancy: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average life expectancy is for  (a) men and  (b) women in (i) Chorley and (ii) Lancashire; and what it was in 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the average life expectancy is for (a) men and (b) women in (i) Chorley and (ii) Lancashire; and what it was in 1997. I am replying in her absence. (197325)
	Period life expectancy at birth for (a) males and (b) females for all local authority districts and unitary authorities in England and Wales, for rolling three-year periods from 1991-93 to 2004-06, are published on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=8841
	Life expectancy figures at county level are not readily available.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 18 February 2008, from the hon. Member for Walsall North, regarding a constituent, ref: 4/31644/2008.

Angela Eagle: I have replied to my hon. Friend.

Mortgages

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the number of people in mortgage arrears by  (a) up to three months,  (b) three to six months,  (c) six to nine months and  (d) nine to 12 months in each year since 1990, broken down by region; and what his estimate is of the cost to the Exchequer of paying 100 per cent. income support mortgage interest to all those eligible, under 60 years of age, who took out their mortage (i) before 2 October 1995 and (ii) after 2 October 1995 after eight weeks of the claim;
	(2)  what his estimate is of the cost to the Exchequer of paying 100 per cent. income support mortgage interest to all those eligible, under 60 years of age, who took out their mortage after 2nd October 1995 after  (a) 12,  (b) 14,  (c) 16,  (d) 18,  (e) 20,  (f) 22,  (g) 24,  (h) 26,  (i) 28,  (j) 30,  (k) 32,  (l) 34 and  (m) 36 weeks of the claim;
	(3)  what recent estimate he has made of the average rate of interest charged on mortgages in the UK;
	(4)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of new mortgages sold in the UK worth  (a) 0 to 10 per cent.,  (b) 11 to 20 per cent.,  (c) 21 to 30 per cent.,  (d) 31 to 40 per cent.,  (e) 41 to 50 per cent.,  (f) 51 to 60 per cent.,  (g) 61 to 70 per cent.,  (h) 71 to 80 per cent.,  (i) 81 to 90 per cent. and  (j) more than 100 per cent. of the value of the property in each year since 1990, broken down by region.

Angela Eagle: According to figures published by the Bank of England, the average mortgage rate in January 2008 for existing mortgages was 5.88 per cent. and for new mortgages was 5.92 per cent.
	The Government do not hold the other figures requested. The Council of Mortgage Lenders publishes a range of statistics on UK housing and mortgage markets, including the number of mortgages in arrears and the median loan to value ratio of loans for home purchase, available at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/statistics.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has paid to external advisers for advice on Northern Rock in 2007-08; and how much has been paid to each such adviser.

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid by his Department for legal advice on Northern Rock.

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fees have been paid by his Department for advice on Northern Rock to  (a) Goldman Sachs and  (b) Slaughter and May.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 7 January 2008
	As the Chancellor informed the chairs of the Treasury Committee and Public Accounts Committee on 11 October 2007, Northern Rock has indemnified the Treasury in respect of certain costs and expenses, including adviser costs. Slaughter and May have provided legal advice outside the scope of the indemnity. Fees of £139,000 have so far been paid for this advice.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish Goldman Sachs' assessment of his Department's plan to guarantee bonds for Northern Rock; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 30 January 2008
	As the Chancellor of the Exchequer informed Parliament on 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 178, the Government will consider when and how the right information in relation to the Northern Rock situation should be put in the public domain.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what timescale has been identified for the repayment of loans advanced to Northern Rock; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: As set out in a written statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to Parliament on 18 March, one of the strategic priorities for Northern Rock is progressive repayment of the Bank of England loan and release of the Government guarantees over the next three to four years.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Richard Ottaway: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Richard Branson's consortium for Northern Rock includes the Far Eastern Investment Corporation.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1048.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government plan to underwrite the repayment of Northern Rock's entire subordinated debt.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 21 February 2008
	The Government have no plans to underwrite Northern Rock's subordinated debt. Holders of tier 1 and tier 2 capital instruments therefore remain at risk of loss ahead of the Bank of England and HM Treasury as providers of secured financial support to the company.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of the advice provided to his Department by Goldman Sachs on Northern Rock; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid by his Department to Goldman Sachs for its advice on Northern Rock.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 25 February 2008
	As the Chancellor informed the chairs of the Treasury Committee and Public Accounts Committee on 11 October 2007, Northern Rock has indemnified the Treasury in respect of certain costs and expenses, including advisor costs.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government plan to dispose of Northern Rock's Guernsey-based subsidiary, Northern Rock Guernsey Ltd., following nationalisation.

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what corporate social responsibility standards Northern Rock will adopt while in temporary public ownership.

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what consideration he has given to the future of Northern Rock's Denmark subsidiary, Northern Rock Bank Danmark filial; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his policy is on Northern Rock's approach to foreign exchange risk resulting from its deposits denominated in Danish Kroner;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with management at Northern Rock bank on the operation of the bank's Guernsey subsidiary.

Angela Eagle: During this period of temporary public ownership, Northern Rock is managed by its board at arm's length from Government on commercial principles.
	The company is developing a full business plan, and will submit the final business plan to HM Treasury for approval by the end of March.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Northern Rock's Denmark subsidiary, Northern Rock Bank Danmark filial is subject to orders made under the Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008.

Angela Eagle: Northern Rock's business in Denmark operated as a branch. This branch was a legal part of Northern Rock plc and was therefore subject to the Transfer Order made under the Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008 along with the rest of the company. This means that the branch was also taken into a period of temporary public ownership as part of Northern Rock plc with effect from 22 February 2008.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many depositors there are at Northern Rock Bank Danmark filial; and what the value of its assets is.

Angela Eagle: During this period of temporary public ownership, Northern Rock is managed by its board at arm's length from Government on commercial principles. It is a matter for the company's management to release specific business updates or provide any required disclosures in their audited annual report and accounts.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) dates of and  (b) attendance at meetings between his Department and Goldman Sachs on the temporary public ownership of Northern Rock has been.

Angela Eagle: There were frequent meetings with our advisers throughout the period leading up to the decision to take Northern Rock into a period of temporary public ownership.

Northern Rock: Consultants

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he estimates his Department will pay to  (a) lawyers and  (b) bankers for advice concerning Northern Rock.

Angela Eagle: As the Chancellor informed the chairs of the Treasury Committee and Public Accounts Committee on 11 October 2007, Northern Rock has indemnified the Treasury in respect of certain costs and expenses, including advisor costs. Slaughter and May has provided legal advice outside the scope of the indemnity. Fees of £139,000 have so far been paid for this advice.

Northern Rock: Charitable Donations

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) charitable and  (b) other donations had been committed by Northern Rock and remained unpaid at the entry into force of the Northern Rock plc Transfer Order 2008; and what plans the Board of Northern Rock has to honour such commitments.

Angela Eagle: During this period of temporary public ownership, Northern Rock is managed by its board at arm's length from Government on commercial principles. It is a matter for the company's management to release specific business updates or provide any required disclosures in their annual report and accounts.
	The company is developing a full business plan, and will submit the final business plan to HM Treasury for approval by the end of March.
	As the Chancellor of Exchequer informed the House, the Northern Rock Foundation will be guaranteed a minimum income of £15 million per year in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and this will be paid directly by Northern Rock. The board of the company has also been asked to identify a viable long-term future for the foundation.

Northern Rock: Guernsey

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what value of deposits in Northern Rock Bank (Guernsey) are from  (a) Egypt,  (b) South Africa and  (c) Zimbabwe.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 14 March 2008
	During this period of temporary public ownership, Northern Rock is managed by its board at arm's length from Government on commercial principles. It is a matter for the company's management to release specific business updates or provide any required disclosures in their annual report and accounts.

Northern Rock: Nationalisation

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect of nationalisation of Northern Rock on holders of Northern Rock's callable debt securities.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 22 February 2008
	The Government have assessed the likely effect of temporary public ownership of Northern Rock on holders all of Northern Rock's debt securities. Northern Rock has no public debt securities which are callable by holders in the ordinary course.

Northern Rock: Nationalisation

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when he first received a draft of the Banking (Special Provisions) Bill;
	(2)  when HM Treasury first consulted  (a) the Bank of England and  (b) the Financial Services Authority on the proposals for the Banking (Special Provisions) Bill; what subsequent consultations took place; on what dates consultations took place; and when each institution was first sent a draft of the Bill;
	(3)  on what date HM Treasury officials commissioned drafting of the Banking (Special Provisions) Bill from Parliamentary Counsel.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 22 February 2008
	Treasury officials undertook a range of contingency planning work in response to the events of September 2007 concerning Northern Rock, which included the development of possible legislative options. The Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority were involved in that work, including preparation of contingency legislation, and the Chancellor was kept informed throughout.

Northern Rock: Nationalisation

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the extent and scope of his responsibilities and accountability to Parliament in relation to the activity of Northern Rock once the team responsible for day-to-day management of the bank under temporary public ownership of the bank is in place; what guidance he has issued to the Northern Rock management team on responding to correspondence from hon. Members; and on what matters relating to the policy, administration and operations of Northern Rock he will  (a) answer parliamentary questions and  (b) refer such questions to the Chief Executive of Northern Rock to respond (i) by a letter published in an answer in the  Official Report and (ii) directly to hon. Members.

Angela Eagle: During this period of temporary public ownership, Northern Rock is managed by its board at arm's length from Government on commercial principles.
	As the Chancellor said in a statement to Parliament on 18 February 2008, the framework agreement on the relationship between the Government and Northern Rock will be published shortly.

Operation Airbridge

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the budget is for Operation  (a) Airbridge and  (b) Wentbridge.

Jane Kennedy: The current budget for Operation Airbridge, which is solely funded by HM Revenue and Customs, is £250,000 per year. The current budget for Operation Westbridge, which is jointly funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office is also £250,000. Neither budget includes the cost of the salaries of the staff deployed overseas, or support staff in the UK.

Personal Care Services

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) hairdressers and  (b) beauty salons in England.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what estimate has been made of the number of  (a) hairdressers and  (b) beauty salons in England. I am replying in her absence. (197588)
	The Office for National Statistics publishes estimates of numbers of enterprises that are VAT traders based on the UK Standard Industrial Classification (2003 revision), which combines hairdressers and beauty salons within a single heading (9302: Hairdressing and other beauty treatment). Estimates are not available separately for hairdressers and beauty salons.
	The total number of enterprises in England in 2007 that were VAT traders and classified to hairdressing and beauty treatment was 11,780. Enterprises not registered for VAT are excluded from this estimate.

Poverty: Children

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to paragraph 4.16 in the Budget document, Ending child poverty: everybody's business, what  (a) high and  (b) low estimates have been made for the financial value of the unemployment trap; and in what circumstances these transpire.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury has not undertaken any work to estimate the financial value of the 'unemployment trap'. This is because the precise point at which an individual feels that moving into work is worthwhile will depend on their circumstances and preferences, including their attitude to claiming benefits and the nature of the job itself. The same gain to work may therefore be sufficient to encourage one individual into work where another would choose to remain out of work.

Press

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total annual cost of the press offices of  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies were in each year since 1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1 April 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1879W by the former Financial Secretary (John Healey).
	The administration costs of the Treasury and the Office of Government Commerce are published in the annual report and accounts each year, copies of which are available in the Library and at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/about_index.cfm
	The Government Actuary's Department does not have a Press Office. Figures for HM Revenue and Customs, National Savings and Investments and the Office for National Statistics figures are given as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
			   HMRC  NS and I  ONS 
			 2001-02 3,870 — 663 
			 2002-03 3,402 943 635 
			 2003-04 2,526 801 580 
			 2004-05 1,674 881 600 
			 2005-06 2,022 1,080 556 
			 2006-07 2,602 960 512

Private Finance Initiative

Clive Betts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many private finance initiative projects have included  (a) a leisure component and  (b) a library.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had been allocated private finance initiative (PFI) credits in previous comprehensive spending reviews to invest in our sectors. To this end, DCMS support  (a) 11 leisure centre projects and  (b) seven library projects.

Private Finance Initiative

Clive Betts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the performance of private finance initiative projects that have included a leisure component.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has not made an assessment of the performance of private finance initiative (PFI) leisure centre projects that it has awarded credits. The local authorities, who are awarded the PFI credits, will manage and assess individual project performance.

Public Expenditure

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the needs assessment that preceded the introduction of the Barnett formula that the Prime Minister referred to in his oral answer to the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Graham Stringer) on 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 921.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 26 March 2008
	The Treasury published in December 1979 a "Needs Assessment Study—Report", an inter-departmental study co-ordinated by HM Treasury on the relative public expenditure needs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A copy is being deposited in the Library. The system for determining changes in public spending by the devolved administrations is set out in the Statement of Funding Policy published by the Treasury in October 2007.

Research and Development Tax Credit: Video Games

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many UK video games development companies received the research and development tax credit in each year since its inception.

Angela Eagle: Information on claims for R and D tax credits by UK video games developers is not available because the data are broken down by industry sector using the UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities (SIC), and the computer and video games industry is not identified as a separate sector in this classification.
	However, a breakdown is available for the National Statistics published on the total number of claims made for R and D tax credits and total cost of support claimed. This shows that companies in the computer and related services sector accounted for over a fifth of the total 6,180 claims made for R and D tax credits in 2005-06. While many companies involved in the computer and video games industry may appear in this industry sector, some may have other classifications.

Revenue and Customs: Appeals

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of appeals against seizure of excise goods by HM Revenue and Custom officers resulted in the restoration of goods to importers in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: Between 1 April 2007 and 31 January 2008 HMRC made a total of 88,015 seizures.
	Appeals against the legality of these seizures are heard by magistrates courts and information on the outcome of these appeals could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Appeals against refusals to restore goods are initially made to HMRC's impartial reviewing officers. During this period 1,883 appeals were received and 237 were successful, around 0.27 per cent. of all seizures made.

Revenue and Customs: Boats

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many boats HM Revenue and Customs has; how much each cost to  (a) purchase and  (b) run in 2007-08; and what they are used for.

Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs has five offshore vessels, each costing an average of £4.5 million when first built. The overall budget for the maritime operation is £2.5 million per year. The primary role of these vessels is to prevent smuggling by ships and pleasure craft.

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1017W, on Revenue and Customs: data protection, how many hours per week data guardians are expected to spend on their work in that role.

Jane Kennedy: The time required to be spent on the data guardian role varies in line with the differing data handling and processing requirements of each HMRC business unit.

Schools: Uniforms

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2008,  Official Report, column 371W, on VAT: uniforms, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the introduction of a reduced VAT rate for those items of school uniform that are not already VAT zero-rated.

Angela Eagle: The Government have not recently discussed this issue with European counterparts. A new legislative proposal on reduced VAT rates, and further EU discussions of them, are expected later this year.

Smuggling: Fuels

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of revenue lost due to fuel smuggling into Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Angela Eagle: Estimates of the revenue lost through the illegal consumption of diesel and petrol in Northern Ireland are not available because it is not yet possible to split revenue losses between those resulting from the illicit market and those from legitimate cross-border shopping. However, estimates of the total non-UK duty paid consumption are available, and are reported in 'Measuring Indirect Tax Losses—2007' which is published alongside the PBR and can be found in the House of Commons Library.

Unemployment: Greater London

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the  (a) male and  (b) female population of each London borough were (i) unemployed and (ii) economically inactive in each year since 2000.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson dated 31 March 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on the percentage of the  (a) male and (b) female population of each London borough who were (i) unemployed and (ii) economically inactive in each year since 2000. I am replying in her absence. (196514)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles estimates of unemployment and inactivity for local areas for women and men from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Tables 1 and 2 attached, show the percentage of males and females aged 16 and over, resident in each London borough, who were unemployed. Tables 3 and 4 attached, show the percentage of males and females, of working age, resident in each London borough who was economically inactive. Estimates are obtained from the annual LFS for each 12 month period from 2001 to 2004. For time series comparisons, the APS estimates from 2005 to 2007 are provided covering the 12 month periods ending in March, but the most recently released estimates are also included, which cover the 12 month period ending in June 2007.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of males aged 16 and over resident in each London borough who were unemployed in each year since 2000 
			  Percentage 
			   For 12 months ending 
			 London borough ( 1) February 01 ( 1) February 02 ( 1) February 03 ( 1) February 04 ( 2) March 05 ( 2) March 05 ( 2) March 06 ( 2) March 07 
			 Barking and Dagenham (3)— (3)— 11 7 10 11 7 7 
			 Barnet (3)— (3)— (3—) (3) 6 7 6 6 
			 Bexley (3)— (3)— (3—) (3) 3 5 6 5 
			 Brent 10 11 10 7 11 9 12 11 
			 Bromley (3)— (3)— (3—) 5 5 3 5 5 
			 Camden (3)— (3)— 10 9 6 7 8 7 
			 City of London (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 Croydon (3)— 7 8 8 5 7 9 9 
			 Ealing 8 8 7 5 5 11 8 9 
			 Enfield (3)— 8 (3)— 6 4 11 4 3 
			 Greenwich 10 10 10 10 9 10 11 12 
			 Hackney 20 15 12 12 13 13 11 14 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham (3)— (3)— 9 10 11 10 9 11 
			 Haringey 15 11 11 9 12 7 7 6 
			 Harrow (3)— (3)— (3)— 5 8 8 6 5 
			 Havering (3)— (3)— (3)— 5 4 6 3 3 
			 Hillingdon (3)— (3)— (3)— 4 4 12 8 7 
			 Hounslow (3)— (3)— (3)— 7 10 8 7 7 
			 Islington (3)— 9 (3)— 9 8 9 9 11 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (3)— (3)— (3)— 7 7 6 6 6 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames (3)— (3)— (3)— 2 6 4 3 1 
			 Lambeth 9 8 13 8 10 9 8 9 
			 Lewisham (3)— 13 14 11 8 8 9 9 
			 Merton (3)— (3—) (3)— 7 7 7 8 8 
			 Newham 13 11 14 10 9 9 10 8 
			 Redbridge 9 (3)— 8 6 5 6 8 7 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames (3—) (3)— (3)— 5 4 2 4 5 
			 Southwark 12 14 12 14 9 11 9 8 
			 Sutton (3)— (3)— (3—) 4 4 2 4 4 
			 Tower Hamlets 13 14 13 15 14 13 13 15 
			 Waltham Forest (3)— (3)— (3)— 9 10 10 6 7 
			 Wandsworth (3)— 7 7 7 3 8 7 5 
			 Westminster, City of 10 7 7 9 7 12 6 7 
			 1. Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey. 2. Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey. 3. These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive.  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey national. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table  2 : Percentage of  fe males aged 16 and over resident in each London borough who were unemployed in each year since 2000 
			  Percentage 
			   For 12 months ending 
			  London borough ( 1) February 01 ( 1) February 02 ( 1) February 03 ( 1) February 04 ( 2) March 05 ( 2) March 06 ( 2) March 0 7 ( 2) June 07 
			 Barking and Dagenham (3)— (3)— (3)— 10 9 7 11 10 
			 Barnet (3)— (3)— (3)— 6 6 6 6 6 
			 Bexley (3—) (3—) (3—) 5 4 3 6 6 
			 Brent (3—) (3—) 11 8 5 7 9 10 
			 Bromley (3—) (3—) 3— 6 5 4 4 4 
			 Camden (3—) (3—) 7 8 7 8 6 7 
			 City of London (3—) (3—) (3—) (3—) (3—) (3—) (3—) (3—) 
			 Croydon (3—) (3—) (3—) 5 8 8 6 6 
			 Ealing (3—) (3—) (3—) 6 6 9 7 7 
			 Enfield (3—) (3—) (3—) 5 6 8 5 5 
			 Greenwich (3—) (3—) 9 8 7 6 6 5 
			 Hackney 12 (3—) (3—) 6 9 7 13 11 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham (3—) (3—) (3—) 5 7 6 8 8 
			 Haringey (3—) (3—) (3—) 5 8 11 7 6 
			 Harrow (3—) (3—) (3—) 13 6 6 9 9 
			 Havering (3—) (3—) (3—) 4 3 7 2 3 
			 Hillingdon (3—) (3—) (3—) 5 3 7 6 4 
			 Hounslow (3—) (3—) (3—) 5 7 9 9 9 
			 Islington (3—) 10 (3—) 7 7 5 7 8 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (3—) (3—) (3—) 7 4 8 8 9 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames (3—) (3—) (3—) 4 4 9 4 4 
			 Lambeth 11 (3—) (3—) 10 11 9 10 12 
			 Lewisham (3—) (3—) (3—) 9 8 7 10 9 
			 Merton (3—) (3—) (3—) 11 5 11 5 5 
			 Newham 16 (3—) 10 8 11 8 19 17 
			 Redbridge (3—) (3—) (3—) 3 5 3 6 6 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames (3—) (3—) (3—) 3 6 5 3 3 
			 Southwark 13 (3—) (3—) 13 14 5 8 9 
			 Sutton (3—) (3—) (3—) 4 6 4 8 7 
			 Tower Hamlets (3—) (3—) 13 8 11 13 14 15 
			 Waltham Forest (3—) (3—) (3—) 8 7 5 7 8 
			 Wandsworth (3—) 5 7 4 5 6 8 5 
			 Westminster, City of (3—) (3—) (3—) 7 9 9 7 9 
			 (1). Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey. (2). Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey. (3). These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive.  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Percentage of males of working age resident in each London borough who were economically inactive in each year since 2000 
			  Percentage 
			   For 12 months ending 
			  London borough ( 1) February 01 ( 1) February 02 ( 1) February 03 ( 1) February 04 ( 2) March 05 ( 2) March 06 ( 2) March 0 7 ( 2) June 07 
			 Barking and Dagenham 28 18 19 20 25 24 20 20 
			 Barnet 13 11 11 16 17 19 17 17 
			 Bexley 16 15 13 16 15 15 14 16 
			 Brent 24 19 22 23 21 17 16 15 
			 Bromley 13 13 14 15 13 14 10 11 
			 Camden 21 19 21 16 26 24 23 23 
			 City of London (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 Croydon 13 15 11 13 14 14 17 16 
			 Ealing 24 17 22 18 15 19 14 16 
			 Enfield 18 17 17 16 23 16 17 19 
			 Greenwich 12 17 21 19 20 18 19 18 
			 Hackney 29 28 25 24 27 32 25 24 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 18 15 16 13 16 21 18 17 
			 Haringey 21 26 26 32 25 21 20 21 
			 Harrow 11 18 17 18 13 18 17 14 
			 Havering 13 14 11 12 16 14 16 15 
			 Hillingdon 15 12 16 15 15 13 19 18 
			 Hounslow 14 17 20 18 18 12 13 16 
			 Islington 26 20 24 23 22 28 21 20 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 16 19 21 18 24 16 23 22 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 12 13 13 13 18 20 14 15 
			 Lambeth 19 20 19 19 19 24 17 17 
			 Lewisham 16 21 16 22 14 19 20 21 
			 Merton 17 13 12 9 11 17 14 12 
			 Newham 31 30 30 34 26 26 21 24 
			 Redbridge 22 18 17 17 18 21 18 19 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames (3)— 11 11 16 19 17 14 13 
			 Southwark 18 21 26 23 24 21 20 21 
			 Sutton (3)— 9 11 14 15 12 11 12 
			 Tower Hamlets 27 27 26 25 27 25 25 25 
			 Waltham Forest 21 22 19 22 20 19 25 22 
			 Wandsworth 13 9 11 12 15 18 17 16 
			 Westminster, City of 20 22 21 21 22 23 28 27 
			 (1). Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey. (2). Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey. (3). These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive.  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table  4 : Percentage of  fe males of working age resident in each London borough who were economically inactive in each year since 2000 
			  Percentage 
			   For 12 months ending 
			  London borough ( 1) February 01 ( 1) February 02 ( 1) February 03 ( 1) February 04 ( 2) March 05 ( 2) March 06 ( 2) March 0 7 ( 2) June 07 
			 Barking and Dagenham 39 38 37 39 37 39 36 37 
			 Barnet 30 31 31 35 34 27 32 30 
			 Bexley 26 28 27 23 22 21 26 29 
			 Brent 37 33 38 37 38 35 38 35 
			 Bromley 22 25 31 26 20 20 25 24 
			 Camden 36 37 34 33 36 40 35 34 
			 City of London (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— (3)— 
			 Croydon 28 25 27 27 24 26 27 23 
			 Ealing 37 37 30 30 33 34 33 36 
			 Enfield 34 36 36 33 36 34 33 38 
			 Greenwich 31 33 36 37 36 32 29 32 
			 Hackney 41 40 41 47 48 49 41 39 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 32 30 32 29 33 27 30 30 
			 Haringey 46 42 35 45 37 35 32 32 
			 Harrow 25 29 31 29 30 27 27 28 
			 Havering 24 25 24 22 26 24 26 24 
			 Hillingdon 29 29 24 31 25 27 30 33 
			 Hounslow 28 26 30 30 31 28 30 28 
			 Islington 40 37 38 35 35 39 34 33 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 36 42 41 37 43 40 45 41 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 30 25 23 25 25 21 27 26 
			 Lambeth 25 29 29 36 32 37 39 35 
			 Lewisham 29 ' 32 29 26 30 32 26 27 
			 Merton 27 26 21 23 30 29 23 24 
			 Newham 52 49 51 51 54 45 46 45 
			 Redbridge 32 29 31 33 30 38 35 37 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 20 23 20 29 30 25 24 26 
			 Southwark 42 34 31 29 31 42 39 38 
			 Sutton 19 18 22 26 20 23 24 22 
			 Tower Hamlets 52 47 53 49 49 52 49 51 
			 Waltham Forest 28 31 34 38 40 33 30 31 
			 Wandsworth 21 22 27 27 27 28 26 27 
			 Westminster, City of 38 38 42 43 39 38 38 41 
			 (1). Figures provided by the Annual Labour Force Survey. (2). Figures provided by the Annual Population Survey. (3). These figures are suppressed as statistically unreliable or disclosive.  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	—continued

VAT: Fraud

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1227W, on VAT: fraud, which paragraph of the National Identity Scheme Delivery Plan 2008 provides an assessment of the potential contribution of the identity cards scheme to the tackling of missing trader intra-community fraud.

Jane Kennedy: The aim of the 2008 plan is to provide individuals with opportunities to protect themselves, including from identity fraud, and to access services more easily. It does not assess specifically the extent to which identity cards introduced on the proposed voluntary basis might protect the Government against missing trader intra-community fraud.

Voluntary Work

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1490W, on voluntary work, what special leave entitlement is available to staff to take time off to volunteer.

Angela Eagle: Staff in HM Treasury may be allowed to take one day's paid special leave in any leave year and if staff wish to extend this, they can trade unused days with colleagues up to a maximum of five days per staff member per leave year.
	In addition to this entitlement, there is also a category of special paid leave of up to 10 days per leave year for activities which are a "valuable public service or which promote the general good of the Treasury".

Welfare Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's recommendations in  (a) Tax Credits: Putting things right and  (b) Tax Credits: Getting it wrong have been accepted; when each of those was implemented; and which (A) were rejected and (B) are under consideration.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 402-04W. All the ombudsman's recommendations were accepted. Details are given in my letter to the parliamentary and health service ombudsman of 29 January 2008 setting out the Government's response to her 2007 report on tax credits which is deposited in the Library of the House.

Welfare Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at which locations staff operating the tax credit system are based; and how many staff worked at each site in each financial year since April 2003.

Jane Kennedy: Staff from a range of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) business areas work on tax credits.
	It is not possible to isolate the numbers of staff deployed to tax credits work at each HMRC site in each year since April 2003.
	The tax credit office operates from sites in Preston, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, Washington and Newcastle.

Welfare Tax Credits: Compensation

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs pays compensation to tax credit claimants; and how the amount of compensation is determined;
	(2)  how many compensation payments have been made by HM Revenue and Customs to tax credit claimants for problems with their awards in each year since April 2003; what the sum of payments in each quarter was; and how many families have received  (a) one,  (b) two,  (c) three and  (d) more than three compensation payments.

Jane Kennedy: The circumstances in which HM Revenue and Customs will make compensation payments to its customers are explained in the Department's fact sheet C/FS 'Complaints and Putting Things Right' which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk/factsheets/complaints-factsheet.pdf. The Department will pay compensation for reasonable costs incurred as a direct result of its mistakes or delays and to recognise worry and distress caused by those mistakes and delays. The value of each payment is decided according to individual circumstances.
	For the number and value of such payments made to tax credit customers I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for St. Albans (Anne Main) on 23 January 2008,  Official Report , columns 2100-01W. The updated figures for 2007-08 to the end of February are:
	
		
			   2007-08 
			  Value (£ million) 0.414 
			  Number 9,374 
		
	
	Information on the number of such payments made to each family is not available in that level of detail requested.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax credit has been overpaid as a result of the claimant not providing an annual return to HM Revenue and Customs in each year since the commencement of tax credits; and how many people were overpaid.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is available only at a disproportionate cost.
	However, HMRC does produce estimates of the number of overpaid terminated awards, which will include those that were terminated due to claimants not returning their annual declaration form by the specified date. This information for 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 is available in the main aggregates table in the HMRC publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments 2005-06". This publication is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average tax credit overpayment was in each year since 2003.

Jane Kennedy: Estimates of the number and amount of tax credit over and under paid awards in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 are produced in the Main Aggregates Table in the HMRC publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments 2005-06". This publication is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
	Information for over and under payments in 2006-07 will not be available until May 2008.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether academies will be included in the new funding regime announced in Raising Expectations: enabling the system to deliver; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Academies will continue to be funded directly by the DCSF on the basis of funding agreements. Like other providers, they will represent their interests and contribute expertise through local 14-19 Partnerships. We know for example that from September 2008, 54 per cent. of academies will be offering diplomas and from September 2009, 75 per cent. of academies will be offering diplomas. We expect academies to participate fully in these new arrangements. But where an individual academy is unable to agree with the local authority what its provision should be, the Secretary of State retains the right to fund the number of academy places which he deems to be appropriate, having first consulted the relevant local authorities. The academies will receive their funding directly from the DCSF in line with the agreed commissioning plan.

Apprentices: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many apprenticeships were  (a) available and  (b) taken up in the London borough of Enfield in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: Figures on the number of places available are not collected centrally.
	Figures for those starting Apprenticeships can be derived from the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and are available at
	http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/partners/frameworks/apprenticeshipsdata
	Following the Machinery of Government announcements, the LSC is working to update its systems so that data by local authority area are readily available. Residence-based data at a local authority level are something that will be built into reporting systems, however historic data based upon the contracting local LSG area are provided in response to this question.
	The following table shows the starts on apprenticeships and in advanced apprenticeships in the London North LSC for each of the last 5 years for which data are available (based on home post code of the learner).
	
		
			   Advanced Apprenticeships  Apprenticeships 
			 2002-03 350 480 
			 2003-04 440 610 
			 2004-05 400 700 
			 2005-06 670 400 
			 2006-07 490 530 
			  Source: Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Individualised Learned Record (ILR). Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to  (a) receive and  (b) approve the first Building Schools for the Future proposal for (i) Barnet, (ii) Bexley, (iii) Birmingham, (iv) Bournemouth, (v) Bromley, (vi) Buckinghamshire, (vii) Calderdale, (viii) Cumbria, (ix) Devon, (x) Enfield, (xi) Essex, (xii) Gloucestershire, (xiii) Kent, (xiv) Kingston, (xv) Kirklees, (xvi) Lancashire, (xvii) Lincolnshire, (xviii) Liverpool, (xix) Medway, (xx) North Yorkshire, (xxi) Poole, (xxii) Plymouth, (xxiii) Reading, (xxiv) Redbridge, (xxv) Slough, (xxvi) Southend, (xxvii) Stoke-on-Trent, (xxviii) Sutton, (xxix) Torbay, (xxx) Trafford, (xxxi) Walsall, (xxxii) Warwickshire, (xxxiii) Wiltshire, (xxxiv) Wirral, (xxxv) Wolverhampton and (xxxvi) the Wrekin local authority.

Jim Knight: In 2004, after wide consultation, we invited all authorities to submit expressions of interest for inclusion in the Building Schools for the Future programme. These included how their schools would be grouped into projects. Additionally, those authorities which wished early prioritisation were invited to provide evidence of their readiness to deliver the programme.
	All projects were prioritised on the average educational and social need of the schools in them. For pathfinders and wave one authorities, we also appraised their readiness to deliver. All authorities were given an indication of where their projects are prioritised in the overall programme in early 2005. This information is available in the House Libraries.
	We have now launched projects in the first six waves of the programme. In total, these include 90 projects in 72 authorities. These projects are being developed through several stages of development and scrutiny with the assistance of Partnerships for Schools, 4ps, the Sorrell Foundation and CABE, other bodies and the Department.
	Bournemouth and Poole, Essex, Kirklees, Telford and Wrekin and Wolverhampton are now developing their proposals prior to submitting an outline business case.
	Birmingham and Kent have had outline business cases agreed and are in procurement for their first projects.
	Stoke-on-Trent is currently reviewing its proposals after the Council's Children and Young People's Services were placed under Government intervention in October 2006.
	Lancashire and Liverpool have provided robust final business cases, and have signed procurement contracts and schools in their projects are now being built.
	Details of the progress of projects in waves one to five can now be found on the Partnerships for Schools website, at: www.p4s.org.uk and following the 'Programme' and then 'Progress' links.
	The following authorities are prioritised in waves seven to 15 of the programme and have not yet entered it: Barnet, Bexley, Bromley, Buckinghamshire, Calderdale, Cumbria, Devon, Enfield, Gloucestershire, Kingston upon Thames, Lincolnshire, Medway, North Yorkshire, Plymouth, Reading, Redbridge, Slough, Southend, Sutton, Torbay, Trafford, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and Wirral. These authorities will be given the opportunity for revising their expressions of interest later this year when we have consulted on management of these later waves of the programme, and detailed prioritisation will follow.

Capita

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 1254-5W, on Capita, what the contract compliance process applied by his Department in monitoring contracts with Capita and its subsidiaries is.

Kevin Brennan: The contract for the administration of the Teachers' Pension Scheme is managed in accordance with detailed governance arrangements set out in the contract. These include measurement against key performance indicators, service improvement plans and performance related payment. The management of these arrangements is subject to regular audit by internal and external auditors and assessment by the Office of Government Commerce, through its Common Assessment Framework. The same compliance process applies to the Capita contract for National Strategies. In this case there is no payment related to performance because it is difficult to relate the specific contractual outputs directly to the educational outcomes we are trying to achieve.

Children in Care: General Certificate of Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of 16-year-olds in care obtained  (a) at least one GCSE at any grade,  (b) at least one GCSE at grades A* to C,  (c) five GCSEs at any grade,  (d) five GCSEs at grades A* to C and  (e) five GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Data collected since 2000 and published in 'Outcome Indicators for Looked After Children twelve months to 30 September' show the GCSE performance or equivalents of children who were looked after for at least 12 months. The available information for England is shown in the table.
	
		
			  GCSE performance or equivalents of children who are looked after continuously for at least 12 months in Year 11( 1) , 12 months ending 30 September 2000 to 2006, England 
			   1 GCSE at grade A*-G or a GNVC  5 A*-C GCSE (or equivalent)  5 A*-G GCSE grades (or equivalent) 
			   Number  Percentage( 2)  Number  Percentage( 2)  Number  Percentage( 2) 
			 2000 1,900 492 300 7.3 1,400 35.5 
			 2001 2,100 49.6 330 8.0 1,400 33.1 
			 2002 2,300 53.2 320 7.5 1,500 36.3 
			 2003 2,400 52.9 400 8.7 1,700 36.8 
			 2004 2,700 56.1 450 9.4 1,900 39.4 
			 2005 2,900 60.2 510 10.8 1,900 40.7 
			 2006 3,200 63.2 600 11.8 2,100 41.4 
			 (1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 1,000, and to the nearest 100 if over 1,000. (2) Expressed as a percentage of all locked after children in Year 11.  Source: OC2 Survey 
		
	
	We do not collect information about the numbers of looked after children who achieve A*-C GCSE grades in English or mathematics separately. However, these data are available at a local level enabling local authorities to set targets for the attainment of looked after children at key stage 4 which include English and mathematics. These targets are negotiated with the National Strategies and Government offices and form a statutory part of a local authority's local area agreement.
	At national level the DCSF is matching data on looked after children to the National Pupil Database (NPD) which provides a wide range of data on the educational attainment of children and young people. From 2009 an initial analysis of looked after children to attainment data along with a range of other data will be available, including English and mathematics at GCSE.
	Not enough progress has been made on improving the educational achievement of looked after children (LAC). They often face a wide range of barriers to learning that most children do not experience. However, we are determined to do more and improving the education of LAC is a top priority. It is key to improving their life chances and a successful transition to adulthood.
	We have set out our intentions in 'Care Matters: Time for change' and the implementation plan 'Care Matters: Time to deliver for children in care' published by the Government with the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Children's Services, on 26 March 2008.

Children: Armed Forces

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what data his Department holds on the comparative academic performance of children from armed forces families and civilian families.

Jim Knight: Information on academic performance of children from armed forces families is not yet available.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) childcarers in daycare settings and  (b) childminders in (i) Basingstoke constituency, (ii) Hampshire and (ii) England were male in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey estimated that the average proportion of male staff working in full day care settings in England was 2 per cent. In total, there were 2,500 male staff working in full day care settings in England. In 2006, 2 per cent. of childminders working in England were male, approximately 1,200 individuals. Data for each year available are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Table: Ma le staff working in full day care  settings or as childminders in England 
			   Full day care  Childminders 
			   Average proportion of male staff per setting ( percentage )  Total number of male staff  Proportion of childminders ( percentage )  Total number of male childminders 
			 1998 — — 0.5 470 
			 2001 2 1,900 1 400 
			 2003 2 2,000 1 800 
			 2005 2 2,500 2 1,000 
			 2006 2 2,500 2 1,200 
			  Note: Different definitions of childcare providers were used in the 1998 survey; it is not possible to provide comparable figures on full day care staff for this year. 
		
	
	Data are not available at a local authority level.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of  (a) male and  (b) female childminders were classified as from socio-economic backgrounds (i) 1 to 3 and (ii) 4 to 8 in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of  (a) male and  (b) female childcarers who work in daycare settings were classified as from socio-economic background (i) 1 to 3 and (ii) 4 to 8 in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The Childcare and Early Years Providers survey collects information on the key characteristics of child care and early years provision and the workforce in the different types of settings. However, the socio-economic classification of child minders and carers working in day care settings is not asked in this survey, and is not collected centrally.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of  (a) male and  (b) female childminders were (i) white and (ii) black and minority ethnic persons in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of  (a) male and  (b) female childcarers in daycare settings were (i) white and (ii) black and minority ethnic persons in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey estimated that 6 per cent. of childminders working in England were from a black and minority ethnic (BME) background, a total of 3,000 individuals. The average proportion of staff from a BME background working in full day care settings in England was 9 per cent. In total, there were 13,000 BME staff working in full day care settings in England.
	Data for each year available are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Table: Ethnicity of staff working in full day care settings or as childminders in England 
			   2001  2003  2005  2006 
			  Full day care 
			 Average proportion of BME staff per setting (percentage) 8 8 10 9 
			 Average proportion of staff per setting not from a BME group (percentage) 92 92 90 91 
			 Total number of BME staff 7,500 8,800 13,550 13,000 
			 Total number of staff not from a BME group 86,800 102,300 119,100 130,100 
			  Childminders 
			 Proportion of BME childminders (percentage) 11 13 7 6 
			 Proportion of childminders not from a BME group (percentage) 89 86 92 93 
			 Total number of BME childminders 8,100 9,500 4,000 3,600 
			 Total number of childminders not from a BME group 64,100 63,100 53,200 53,800 
			  Note: Full day care figures for 2005 and 2006 on the average proportion of staff per setting not from a BME group and the total number of staff not from a BME group have been estimated using the figures for staff from a BME group and the overall number of paid staff. 
		
	
	Data on the ethnicity of male and female childminders and full day care staff are not available.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he plans to review the work of local Safeguarding Children's boards; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Department has already stated its intention to conduct a stocktake of LSGB progress later in 2008. That will allow us to take account of the findings of the joint Chief Inspectors' Report on Safeguarding Children, due in July 2008, alongside other evidence.

Children: Protection

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent representations he has received from  (a) the Association of Police Authorities,  (b) the Crown Prosecution Service,  (c) the Local Government Association and  (d) children's charities on strengthening the law to protect children who have been groomed.

Kevin Brennan: I am not aware of any such recent representations.

Children: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children under the age of 16 years were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in each of the last five years, broken down by  (a) region and  (b) type of infection.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the number of diagnoses of the five main sexually transmitted infections (gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, genital warts and anogenital herpes) in under 16-year-olds in the last five years by strategic health authority has been placed in the Library.

Citizenship: Curriculum

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Stafford on 23 October 2007,  Official Report, column 213W, on the curriculum: citizenship, 
	(1)  how many one day regional training events  (a) have taken place and  (b) are planned to take place in 2008 in order to support the addition of the new strand to citizenship teaching; and how many citizenship teachers he estimates will attend these events;
	(2)  who has been appointed national subject lead for citizenship; and how this person plans to promote citizenship.

Jim Knight: Nine regional events (one per Government office region) have been delivered in 2008 in order to support citizenship teaching. 617 local authority representatives and subject leaders for citizenship attended these events. A follow up event is planned for June 2008, when around 50 subject leaders for citizenship are expected to attend.
	A further 234 support opportunities will be delivered by regional subject advisors for citizenship to individual schools or groups of schools, according to local need. We estimate that a minimum of 700 citizenship teachers and subject leaders will benefit from this support. Finally, on-line support materials are available to all citizenship teachers across the country.
	The national subject lead for citizenship is Mr. Pete Pattisson. In order to promote citizenship, Mr. Pattisson has led on the development of the on-line support materials (including video case studies) and on the delivery of the nine regional events for citizenship teachers. Mr. Pattisson acts as the coordinator of the network of regional subject advisors for citizenship and provides a point of contact for all parties interested in the place of citizenship in the new curriculum.

Citizenship: Curriculum

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what plans he has to improve the coverage of citizenship in schools, with particular reference to the coverage of political literacy, as referred to in the National Foundation for Educational Research report Vision versus pragmatism;
	(2)  how many teachers teach citizenship in secondary schools; and how many of these are specialists in the subject;
	(3)  with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 23 October 2007,  Official Report, column 213W, on the curriculum: citizenship, what steps he plans to take to raise the status of citizenship with head teachers;
	(4)  how many schools deliver citizenship courses through discrete classes.

Jim Knight: We are committed to improving the coverage of citizenship education and the quality of citizenship teaching within the school curriculum. Citizenship has been a statutory national curriculum subject since 2002. The recent review of secondary education provided an opportunity to look at the clarity of teaching requirements for this subject alongside all the other subjects in the national curriculum. The new secondary curriculum for citizenship was published in August 2007 for first teaching from September 2008. We are developing a new, full GCSE and A-level in citizenship studies, in response to demand.
	The 2002 Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS) estimated that there were around 9,000 teachers of citizenship in maintained secondary schools, with 6 per cent. of them holding a post A-level qualification in the subject.
	Over 200 new specialist citizenship teachers are trained every year through initial teacher training courses (PGCEs) to teach in secondary schools. A programme of continuing professional development (CPD) was launched in 2006, in collaboration with higher education institutions across the country. The five-day course is free for teachers to access. It requires teachers to meet high standards for teaching citizenship in schools, with a particular focus on imparting knowledge and understanding of the subject area. We have made available 600 places a year in 2007-08. We have also funded the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT), established in 2003, which provides a focus for professional development among teachers and advice, training and support for schools.
	Citizenship education makes an important contribution to developing young people's political literacy. It enables them to improve their understanding and develop skills of democratic participation while helping them to appreciate that they have a stake in society. Young people are taught about democratic institutions, processes and the importance of voting. We are keen to encourage active learning so that young people start early to experience democracy in action. We are also working with the Royal Geographical Society and the Historical Association to develop resources and support for schools for a new 'Who Do We Think We Are?' week in schools, which will provide a focus for activity around diversity and identify and offer schools the chance to explore these issues collectively.
	DCSF guidance to schools on their new duty to promote to community cohesion (July 2007) highlights the importance of citizenship education and we have reinforced this message to heads through nine regional conferences and a resource pack for schools being produced in association with the Institute of Community Cohesion, due for publication in April. We will continue to look for ways to emphasise the importance of citizenship to school leaders.
	Schools have developed various ways of delivering citizenship in the curriculum: as a discrete subject; within personal, social and health education (PSHE); as citizenship across the curriculum; and through days when the normal timetable is suspended. We do not collect data on how many schools deliver citizenship through discrete classes.

Citizenship: Qualifications

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what plans he has to develop  (a)(i) full and (ii) joint citizenship GCSEs and  (b) citizenship A-levels;
	(2)  what plans the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has to improve standards for citizenship teaching in schools, with particular reference to the development of consistent practice in assessing, recording and reporting student outcomes.

Jim Knight: The new A-level in Citizenship Studies was accredited for use by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in 2007 and is now available from the Awarding Body, AQA. First teaching begins in September 2008.
	The GGSEs for all national curriculum subjects are currently under review. It is likely that awarding bodies will submit full course GGSE qualifications for Citizenship Studies this year. If so, accreditation by QCA will be completed in the autumn of 2008 and first teaching would begin in September 2009. It is expected that the awarding bodies will also continue to offer their short course qualifications in Citizenship Studies.
	Currently three awarding bodies, AQA, OCR and Edexcel offer short courses in Citizenship Studies. These have been used by schools since 2002. Last summer 75,000 students took the short course GCSE in Citizenship Studies. This summer it is estimated that 95,000 students will take the qualification. Citizenship Studies remains the fastest growing GCSE qualification
	The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is responsible for developing the curriculum. Citizenship has been a statutory national curriculum subject since 2002. The recent review of secondary education provided an opportunity to look at the clarity of teaching requirements for this subject alongside all the other subjects in the national curriculum. The new secondary curriculum for citizenship was published in August 2007 for first teaching from September 2008,
	Alongside the new curriculum, level descriptions for Citizenship were published for the first time. These offer a clearer framework of standards and were developed in consultation with teachers and the subject community and build on the work QCA undertook in 2006 which led to the publication "Assessing citizenship at key stage 3. Example assessment activities QCA/06/2294".
	QCA is currently working with groups of schools on exemplification materials and support for teachers in using the new level descriptions. Schools will be required to use the new levels descriptions for citizenship to make judgments about student attainment from the summer of 2011, this being the first year the first cohort of pupils will complete the new key stage 3 programme of study.

Citizenship: Teachers

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many citizenship teachers studied citizenship  (a) at initial teacher training and  (b) in continuing professional development.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Civil Service Appeal Board

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of appeals by employees of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies were (i) heard and (ii) upheld by the Civil Service Appeal Board in each of the last 10 years; how much was awarded in compensation by the Board to each successful appellant in each year; what the reason was for each compensation award; how many appellants were reinstated by the Board in each year; and what the reason was for each (A) dismissal and (B) reinstatement.

Kevin Brennan: The information sought is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many officials from his Department, broken down by grade, attended the cross-government working group on anti-Semitism on 15 November; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. Dhanda), on 22 November 2007,  Official  R eport, column 1012W.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what visits he made to  (a) Harrogate International Centre,  (b) International Conference Centre, Birmingham,  (c) Manchester Central,  (d) Scottish Exhibitional and Conference Centre, Glasgow,  (e) Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  (f) Bournemouth International Conference Centre,  (g) the Brighton Centre, Brighton,  (h) the Riviera Centre, Torquay,  (i) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London,  (j) Excel Conference Centre, Docklands, London, and  (k) Business Design Centre, Islington, London, in the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007; and what events he attended at each.

Edward Balls: Since the establishment of the Department for Children, Schools and Families on 28 June 2007 and up until 31 December 2007, I have visited the following establishments in my ministerial capacity:  (a) International Conference Centre, Birmingham on 29 November 2007 to attend the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust Annual Conference,  (b) Bournemouth International Conference Centre on 14 November 2007 to attend the Youth Justice Board Annual Conference,  (c) Queen Elizabeth Centre, London on 10 July 2007 to attend the NASUWT Presidential Reception, 15 November 2007 to attend the NCSL New Heads Conference, 13 December 2007 to attend the NASUWT Presidential Reception,  (d) Business Design Centre Islington, London on 18 July 2007 to attend a National Children's Bureau Conference.

Departmental Internet

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if his Department will  (a) follow the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) guidelines and  (b) display ICRA's label on the websites for which it is responsible.

Kevin Brennan: The Department is committed to safety online for all users, including children and young people. We are already makes use of, or are working towards implementing, the ICRA guidelines and the use of the label across our portfolio of websites.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons his Department's spending detailed in the Budget 2008 Red Book was lower than that set out in the 2007 Pre-Budget Report; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: The Department for Children, Schools and Families' spending plan set out in the Budget 2008 Red Book (see Table C11) is the same as set in the 2007 pre-Budget report (see Table B13). For the 2008-09 to 2010-11 period, DCSF's resource budget will be respectively £46.9 billion/£49.2 billion/£51.9 billion and the capital budget will be £6.0 billion/£6.4 billion/£7.7 billion. Changes to DCSF's 2007-08 outturn estimate are due to underspends, which will be available for the Department to use in future years.

Departmental Publications

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance is issued to members of his Department on the authorship and publication on the internet of material relating to their official duties; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Members of the Department use the Department's website to communicate a range of policy information and related resources. The Department has established an online style guide which is available to all staff.

Family Fund: Finance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was allocated to the Family Fund in each of the past 10 years; how much has been allocated for  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Government have allocated, in relation to England, the following amounts to the Family Fund for grants to disabled children and their families:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 1999-2000 16.8 
			 2000-01 19.8 
			 2001-02 20.8 
			 2002-03 21.8 
			 2003-04 22.8 
			 2004-05 22.8 
			 2005-06 22.8 
			 2006-07 22.8 
			 2007-0 8 22.8 
		
	
	For 2008-09, the Department for Children, Schools and Families will increase funding to £24.4 million to enable the fund to extend its grants to disabled children and young people aged 16 and over.

Foster Care

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the level of diversity of foster care providers; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 25 March 2008
	A recent review of fostering provision commissioned by my Department reported that as at 31 March 2005, there were 188 independent fostering agencies, 146 total authority fostering agencies, 46 voluntary fostering agencies and five agencies categorised as "other"(1).
	(1) Source :
	RW74, DfES Children's Services: Children's Homes and Fostering (published by DfES/DCSF on 31 August 2006)

Further Education

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the post-16 education and training participation rate is in  (a) Bexley,  (b) Bournemouth,  (c) Buckinghamshire,  (d) Kent,  (e) Kingston,  (f) Lincolnshire,  (g) Medway,  (h) Poole,  (i) Reading,  (j) Slough,  (k) Southend,  (l) Sutton,  (m) Torbay,  (n) Trafford and  (o) the Wirral; and what the equivalent figures are for each of their statistical neighbours in each case.

Jim Knight: Estimates of participation in education, training and employment in England for those aged 16-18 are published annually by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June (see following link).
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000734/index.shtml
	The Department also publishes local estimates of participation in England alongside the national figures, but these are only available for young people of academic age 16 and 17. The local participation estimates cover those in full-time education, part-time education, and Work Based Learning, but do not identify young people in employer funded training(1) or other education and training(2) apart from those on a part-time education course.
	The most recent local estimates of education and Work Based Learning for local authorities relate to the end of 2005. Tables showing the rates and absolute numbers for 16 and 17-year-olds in the local authorities requested and their statistical neighbours are placed in the House Libraries.
	(1 )Employer funded training covers employees who have received training in the past four weeks, other than those in Work Based Learning.
	(2 )Other education and training covers young people who are studying but are not included in other categories. For example those attending independent colleges or training centres, or those at any college in part-time study not reported as released from job.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools in each local authority achieved fewer than 30 per cent. A* to C grades at GCSE in each of the last two years; and what the  (a) raw scores and  (b) value added scores of each school were in each of those years.

Jim Knight: The percentage of pupils in each school achieving 5 A* to C grades at GCSE (or equivalent) and their scores can be found in the Achievement and Attainment Tables in the House of Commons Library.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools had fewer than  (a) 25 per cent.,  (b) 30 per cent.,  (c) 35 per cent. and  (d) 40 per cent. of children obtaining fewer than five A* to C grades in GCSE including mathematics and English in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The information on the number of maintained mainstream schools is given in the following table.
	The number of schools with fewer than 35 per cent. and 40 per cent. of pupils achieving five A*-C GGSE grades, including English and Mathematics, can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  N umber  of maintained mainstream schools( 1 ) with fewer than 15 per cent., 20 per cent., 25 per cent., and 30 per cent. of pupils achieving at least 5 A*-C GCSE grades (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics, in 1996 / 97 to 2006 / 07 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Below 15 per cent. 566 513 399 340 305 247 254 207 138 91 47 
			 Below 20 per cent. 922 835 695 637 583 482 495 426 338 279 162 
			 Below 25 per cent. 1,262 1,141 993 924 862 778 800 734 608 500 376 
			 Below 30 per cent. 1,610 1,507 1,310 1,241 1,154 1,089 1,098 1,054 924 789 639 
			 Total number of schools 3,169 3,151 3,131 3,119 3,102 3,099 3,095 3,095 3,095 3,072 3,045 
			 (1) Figures relate to all maintained mainstream schools published in Achievement and Attainment Tables, including Academic City Technology Colleges and City Colleges for the Technology of Arts.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools had fewer than  (a) 25 per cent.,  (b) 30 per cent.,  (c) 35 per cent. and  (d) 40 per cent. of children obtaining fewer than five A* to C grades in GCSE in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The information on the number of maintained mainstream schools is given in the following table. The number of schools with fewer than 35 per cent. of pupils achieving 5 A*-C GCSE grades can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  N umber of maintained mainstream schools( 1)  with fewer than 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% and 40% of pupils achieving at least 5 A*-C GCSE grades (or equivalent) in 1996/97 to 2006/07 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Below 15 per cent. 186 180 128 100 74 56 42 27 11 7 — 
			 Below 20 per cent. 363 325 278 242 196 157 112 72 40 15 4 
			 Below 25 per cent. 619 553 488 437 369 294 224 186 110 47 17 
			 Below 30 per cent. 899 828 736 662 819 499 410 843 230 134 64 
			 Below 40 per cent. 1,491 1,418 1,278 1,206 1,128 1,026 923 861 674 487 306 
			 Total number of schools 3,169 3,151 3,131 3,119 3,102 3,099 3,095 3,095 3,095 3,072 3,045 
			 (1) Figures relate to all maintained mainstream schools published in Achievement and Attainment Tables, including academies, city technology colleges and city colleges for the technology of arts.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the 10 most commonly studied, non-compulsory subjects taken to GCSE level were in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by type of school; and how many pupils studied each such subject to GCSE level in the same period;
	(2)  which 10 subjects were most commonly studied at A-Level in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by type of institution; and how many pupils took each such subject in the same period.

Jim Knight: The readily available information has been placed in the House Library.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what proportion of 16 year olds were entered for  (a) GCSE English,  (b) GCSE mathematics and  (c) one or more GCSEs in 2007;
	(2)  what proportion of 16 year olds were entered for fewer that  (a) five GCSEs and  (b) five GCSEs including English and mathematics in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Numbers and proportions of pupils attempting GCSEs in each subject at the end of Key Stage 4 can be found in table 11 of the January Statistical First Release 'GCSE and Equivalent Examination Results in England 2006/07 (Revised)', available at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000768/index.shtml
	The proportion of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 entered for fewer than five GCSEs was 5.6 per cent. The proportion of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 entered for fewer than five GCSEs including English and mathematics was 9.0 per cent.
	These figures are not published for 16-year-old pupils; the figures provided are based on pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. The end of Key Stage 4 signals the end of compulsory education, and the majority of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 are aged 15 at the start of the academic year.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Home Schooling

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children educated at home had achieved five GCSEs graded at A* to C by the age of 16 years in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Pupils who are educated at home and for whom the local authority is financially responsible are included in the Alternative Provision Survey. However, it is not possible to separately identify these pupils as they are reported in the category "Not a school" which also includes pupils educated in community homes or units, FE colleges or voluntary sector providers.

Head Teachers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools were without a permanent head teacher for more than three months in the past 12 months.

Jim Knight: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The following table provides the number of temporarily filled full-time head teacher posts in local authority maintained schools in England, January 1998 to 2007.
	
		
			  Temporarily filled full-time head teacher posts( 1)  in local authority maintained schools in England by phase, January of each year 
			   Temporarily filled as a percentage of head teachers in post  
			   LEA maintained only  All maintained  Number of posts 
			  1998(2) 1999(2) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2007 
			 Nursery and primary (percentage) 2.5 2.2 2.1 2.7 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.9 3.0 520 
			 Secondary (percentage) 1.8 1.6 2.3 2.3 2.0 2.4 2.2 2.7 2.3 2.3 80 
			 Special (percentage) 4.2 3.8 5.3 4.2 3.7 3.8 4.2 3.9 4.9 3.8 40 
			 Total (percentage) 2.5 2.2 2.3 2.7 2.1 2.4 2.5 2.7 2.9 2.9 640 
			 Total vacancies (number) 580 490 540 650 520 540 570 610 650 640 — 
			 (1) Temporarily filled full-time permanent appointments. The definition used is wider than the DCSF standard vacancy definition used elsewhere (bullet points b. and c. as follows are in addition to the normal definition). A post is included in this table: a. where there is no incumbent who is expected to return to the post; b. whether or not filled on a temporary basis, i.e. either without a contract or on a contract of less than one year; c. whether or not advertised; and d. where an appointment has been made but not yet taken up. (2) Excludes vacancies in schools that were grant maintained.  Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because of rounding.  Source: 618g survey.

Inclusive Technology

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the value is of each contract his Department holds with Inclusive Technology.

Kevin Brennan: The Department does not hold a central record of the nature of individual agreements (be they contracts, consultancies or other services) nor of their value. However, our financial records show that the Department has not made any payments to this company in either of the last two financial years.

Ipsos MORI

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what payments his Department and its predecessor have made to Ipsos MORI in the last 24 months; and for what purposes.

Jim Knight: Details of the amount paid to Ipsos MORI by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor, the Department for Education and Skills for 2006-07 and 2007-08 are set out as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006/07 393,691.00 
			 2007 to 18 March 2008 475,113.58 
		
	
	The expenditure relates to payments recorded in the Department's integrated financial information system and credited against Ipsos MORI and its predecessor Ipsos - RSL Ltd.
	The purpose of the expenditure relates to a contract in connection with Teachers TV and covers audience measurement, impact and channel evaluation.

Ministers: Correspondence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many times a Minister from his Department has written to all  (a) primary head teachers,  (b) secondary head teachers and  (c) local education authorities since 18 December 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It is departmental policy not to send written communications to schools or local authorities. All correspondence is via email.
	We send a regular email once a week to local authorities. There have been 12 sent since 18 December 2007. On occasion we send a bespoke e-mail containing an item of significant importance. There have been three sent since 18 December 2007. We also send a Chief Executive update once a quarter. There has been one sent since 18 December 2007.
	We send a regular fortnightly email to schools. There have been one sent since 18 December 2007. On occasion it is necessary to send a bespoke email containing an item of significant importance (or to schools falling within a particular category e.g. admission authorities). Four have been sent since 18 December 2007.

Music: Education

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of his Department's progress towards achieving the five aims of the music manifesto.

Jim Knight: The 2007 survey of music services estimated that 50 per cent. of Key Stage 2 pupils will be given an opportunity to learn a musical instrument, compared to 22 per cent. in 2006/07. To support the development of a world class workforce we contracted Open University and Trinity College to develop a training programme for classroom teachers and other professionals involved in music education. Over 1,000 people have so far enrolled in that training.
	The Music Manifesto published a report "Making Every Child's Music Matter" in October 2006. This report took stock of how music education in England had progressed since the launch of the Manifesto and made recommendations for further action by the Government and others involved in music education. In response to the recommendations in January 2007 we announced £10 million for a National Singing Programme. In November 2007 we confirmed a major new package of activity continuing funding for Sing Up (£10 million in each of the next three years) and a total investment in music education of £332 million over the next three years. Details of this can be found in the department's press release at:
	http://www.dfes.ov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2007_0216

Music: Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much each local authority has spent on educational music services in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The available information on music services funding has been placed in the House Library.

Pupil Referral Units

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils aged under 11 years were in pupil referral units in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The requested information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Pupil referral units: Number (headcount) of pupils aged less than 11, position in January each year1997 to 2007, England 
			   Solely registered pupils and pupils registered with other providers  Pupils registered in more than one school 
			 1997 507 899 
			 1998 464 866 
			 1999 471 865 
			 2000 380 998 
			 2001 653 1,016 
			 2002 486 997 
			 2003 797 997 
			 2004 749 1,336 
			 2005 679 1,479 
			 2006 771 1,449 
			 2007 747 1,454 
			  Source: School Census.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average public expenditure per pupil on education for each age of pupil was in each  (a) region and  (b) London borough in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The Department is unable to answer the question in the way it has been asked. However, the available information on school based expenditure per pupil by local authority maintained primary and secondary schools in England from 1997-98 to 2006-07 has been placed in the House Library.

Pupils: Personal Records

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many individuals have been allocated a unique pupil number (UPN); and whether data held on each pupil via the UPN record are deleted from the database when the child leaves education.

Jim Knight: The number of pupils who have been allocated a unique pupil number (UPN) to date since their inception is not available. The UPN number itself bares no resemblance to the number of UPNs issued. They are based on the local authority number, the school establishment number and a set of randomly generated numbers. UPNs were first introduced in the autumn term of 1999 and cover the maintained schools sector in England.
	It was agreed with the Data protection Registrar when the UPN was designed that it would lapse when pupils completed their statutory phase of education. With this in mind, the current policy is that the national pupil database holds the UPN and associated pupil details until that point. After the pupil leaves maintained education the record is retained to enable lifelong learning analyses, but the UPN is removed.

Reading: Teaching Methods

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local education authorities participated in the  (a) initial and  (b) subsequent pilot using synthetic phonics to teach children to read.

Jim Knight: The Early Reading Development pilot (ERDp) ran in 18 local authorities during 2005/06.
	The local authorities involved in this pilot were:
	Barnsley
	Cheshire
	Coventry
	Hertfordshire
	Islington
	Leeds
	Liverpool
	Luton
	Manchester
	Medway
	Nottingham City
	Peterborough
	Redcar and Cleveland
	Stoke-on-Trent
	Tameside
	Tower Hamlets
	Waltham Forest
	Wiltshire.
	In 2006/07, the Communication, Language and Literacy Development (CLLD) programme was developed, implementing the recommendations from the Rose Review. 32 further local authorities participated in the programme (in addition to the 18 local authorities who had been involved in the ERDp):
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Birmingham
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Bury
	Dorset
	Ealing
	East Sussex
	Essex
	Gloucestershire
	Greenwich
	Hackney
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Haringey
	Hartlepool
	Kent
	Kingston-upon-Hull
	Knowsley
	Lambeth
	Lewisham
	Middlesbrough
	North Tyneside
	Oldham
	Sandwell
	Sefton
	Sheffield
	Shropshire
	Southampton
	Southwark
	Surrey
	Swindon
	Thurrock
	Torbay.
	From April 2008, a further 50 local authorities will join the CLLD programme:
	Barking and Dagenham
	Bolton
	Bradford
	Brent
	Bristol, City of
	Calderdale
	Camden
	Cornwall
	Croydon
	Cumbria
	Derby
	Derbyshire
	Doncaster
	Dudley
	Durham
	Enfield
	Gateshead
	Halton
	Hampshire
	Hounslow
	Kirklees
	Lancashire
	Leicester
	Lincolnshire
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Newham
	Norfolk
	North East Lincolnshire
	Northamptonshire
	Northumberland
	Nottinghamshire
	Plymouth
	Rochdale
	Rotherham
	Salford
	South Tyneside
	St. Helens
	Staffordshire
	Stockport
	Stockton-on-Tees
	Suffolk
	Sunderland
	Wakefield
	Walsall
	Wandsworth
	Westminster
	Wigan
	Wirrall
	Wolverhampton
	Worcestershire.

School Improvement Partners

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  who is responsible for  (a) employing and  (b) setting the salary of school improvement partners;
	(2)  what advice he has given to  (a) schools and  (b) local education authorities on the starting salaries for school improvement partners;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of hours worked by school improvement partners in each local education authority in the last 12 months;
	(4)  what advice he has given to schools on the employment, recruitment and retention of school improvement partners;
	(5)  what the total cost was to each local education authority of school improvement partners in the last 12 months;
	(6)  how many school improvement partners were employed in each local education authority at the latest date for which figures are available; and what the cost was in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(7)  what estimate he has made of the average salaries of school improvement partners in each local education authority in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows.
	 197089 and 197090
	A nationally accredited school improvement partner (SIP) programme has been introduced into every school in phases, the final phase being in April 2008. The programme was made a statutory requirement in the 2006 Education and Inspections Act. The SIP works for, and on behalf of, the local authority (LA) and is the channel for LAs' engagement with schools on school improvement. LAs both employ and set salary levels for SIPs. Pay levels are not determined centrally, because SIPs work under contract to the maintaining authorities of the schools with which they work. In each case it is for the individual authority to negotiate pay levels with their SIPs.
	 197091
	We do not collect this information centrally. However, on average, we expect a SIP to devote five days to a school every year. Generally around three days of this support takes place in school, while preparation and data analysis occurs out of school and accounts for the balance of the time. In addition, every SIP is expected to set aside a total of four additional days a year for professional development and for attending national, regional and local events.
	 197092
	The Department provides information, advice and guidance to local authorities about deploying, managing, developing and supporting the performance of their SIPs through "School Improvement Partner programme, Advice and guidance for local authorities (3rd edition, ref: 00633-2007BKT-EN)"; the guidance is regularly updated and circulated to local authorities. It fully recognises the unique circumstances and contexts in which each local authority operates, and builds on good practice found in LAs during the first two full years of the SIP programme.
	 197093
	We do not collect this information centrally.
	 197094
	Since September 2006 all secondary schools have had a SIP. Primary SIPs have been introduced in phases with the first phase being completed in April 2008. On 26 March 2008, there were 1,670 primary SIPs working in 114 LAs and 1,172 secondary SIPs working in 150 LAs. Decisions on the deployment of SIPs are determined by LAs. Information on the cost of employing SIPs is not collected centrally and is a matter for the LA that employs the SIP.
	 197145
	We do not collect this information centrally.

Schools: Admissions

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) selective places and  (b) applicants for those places there were in each local authority with schools that selected wholly or partially by ability in each of the last three years.

Jim Knight: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) There are 164 schools designated as grammar schools under section 104 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. The number of pupils in grammar schools during the last three years is as follows
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005 154,065 
			 2006 155,484 
			 2007 156,796 
		
	
	Some 40 schools that did so before 1997 operate partial selection by ability in various proportions. We do not have data on the numbers of selective places in such schools.
	 (b) The Department does not collect data on the number of applicants for selective places.

Schools: Admissions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities have submitted plans to his Department on how they will reduce the number of surplus places in their schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have invited authorities to inform the Department of any proposed action to reduce surplus places in their agreed Primary Strategy for Change by 16 June 2008. To date, we have received no responses.
	In developing their plans for Building Schools for the Future (BSF), we expect local authorities to think strategically about existing secondary school provision. They should consider factors such as demand for places (including the level of surplus places) and future population changes, as well as standards, diversity, parental preferences, and the condition of existing buildings, to ensure that they are providing the right schools in the right places at the right time. 58 authorities engaged in BSF have submitted proposals, in the form of a 'Strategy for Change' Part 1, or equivalent, for some or all of their secondary schools. These authorities are as follows:
	 Wave 1
	Bristol (also W4)
	Bradford (alsoW5)
	Gateshead
	Greenwich (also W5)
	Knowsley
	Lancashire
	Leeds
	Leicester
	Lewisham (also W3)
	Manchester (also W4)
	Newcastle upon Tyne
	Sheffield (also W4)
	Solihull
	South Tyneside
	Stoke-on-Trent
	Sunderland
	Waltham Forest (also W5)
	 Wave 2
	Birmingham (also W4-6)
	Hackney
	Haringey (also W4)
	Islington
	Kingston upon Hull
	Lambeth (also W5)
	Liverpool (also W5)
	Middlesbrough
	Newham (also W5)
	Nottingham City (also W5)
	Tower Hamlets (also W5)
	 Wave 3
	Barnsley
	Derbyshire
	Durham (also W6)
	Kent (also W4-6)
	Luton (also W6)
	North Lincolnshire
	Salford
	Sandwell (also W5)
	Southwark
	Tameside
	Westminster
	 Wave 4
	Barking and Dagenham
	Cambridgeshire
	Coventry
	Essex
	Hertfordshire
	Telford and Wrekin
	Rochdale
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Oldham
	Somerset
	 Wave 5
	Derby City
	Camden
	St. Helens
	Blackpool
	Hartlepool
	Ealing
	Wolverhampton
	Wandsworth
	Kensington and Chelsea

Schools: Closures

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school days have been lost as a result of schools having to close temporarily during term-time in each year since 1997; what information his Department collects on the reasons for such closures; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not collect this information, and there is no requirement for schools to notify us when they close temporarily during term-time.

Schools: Construction

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what information his Department holds on the standard of existing school buildings; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Data on the suitability and condition of school buildings were supplied to my Department by local education authorities in 2005-06. Similar data were supplied in 2001 and 2003. Analysis of the 2003 data is included in the publication "Schools Asset Management: Data Analysis 2004", available at:
	www.teachernet.gov.uk/sbamps
	Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996-97 to £6.4 billion in 2007-08 and will rise further to £8.0 billion by 2010-11.

Schools: Cycling

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have received funding for Bikeability training, broken down by local authority area.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	This information is not collected centrally.
	The Department for Transport has provided funding to 36 local authorities outside of London, to Transport for London and to School Sports Partnerships, to enable around 46,000 children to-be trained to the Bikeability standard. We do not hold data on the number of schools who have received training paid for by this funding.

Schools: Fire Extinguishers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools were  (a) built and  (b) fitted with fire suppression systems in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In 2007, we gathered information from all authorities on the improvements to their school buildings over the previous 10 years. This "School Building Investment Data" is available in the parliamentary Libraries. We also published "Better Buildings Better Design Better Education, A report on capital investment in education" which summarises the headline data for the 10 years from 1997 to 2007. The information collected includes the numbers of new schools in the last five years set out in the following table. These figures include nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, and also academies; and both additional new schools and replacement schools.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002-03 121 
			 2003-04 122 
			 2004-05 127 
			 2005-06 171 
			 2006-07 196 
		
	
	We do not keep information on the details of new school designs. However it is our expectation that all new and some refurbished schools designed after the introduction of our new policy in February 2007 will have fire sprinklers installed, although this is not a compulsory measure. There may be cases where local authorities or other promoters of schools consider that sprinklers are not needed. If so, they will need to be able to demonstrate that such schools are very low risk and that sprinklers would not represent good value for money.

Schools: Governing Bodies

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the proposal to reduce the size of school governing bodies contained within the recently published Children's Plan.

Jim Knight: We believe that smaller, more highly skilled governing bodies, alongside improved governor training will lead to more effective governance in schools. Smaller governing bodies can be consistent with the current stakeholder model of governance. As we indicated in the Children's Plan, we will be consulting stakeholders on reducing the size of governing bodies. Good governance and leadership at school level is essential if we are to achieve better outcomes for all children and young people.

Schools: Standards

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools were in Ofsted categories since 1997 and are no longer in such categories.

Jim Knight: The information is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Schools placed in Ofsted categories between 1 September 1997 and 31 December 2007 
			  Category  Number of schools placed in each category  Number of schools in each category at 31 December 2007  Number of schools no longer in each category 
			 Special measures 1,806 245 1,561 
			 Significant improvements(1) 667 305 362 
			 Serious weaknesses(1) 1,873 0 1,873 
			 Totals 4,346 550 3,796 
			 (1) The designation of serious weaknesses applied until 31 August 2005. The Ofsted inspection framework was revised from 1 September 2005 and the new category of requiring significant improvement was introduced.  Note: The table is based on the most recent information published by Ofsted last month.

Schools: Standards

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools were closed on the grounds of poor performance in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold information on the reasons for school closure. School place planning is the statutory responsibility of the local authority (LA). Each LA must strive to secure high standards, diversity of provision and increased opportunities for parental choice. They must review school place provision regularly, ensuring there are sufficient places to meet the needs of the population. Where the LA propose to make any changes they must publish statutory proposals which are decided under local decision making arrangements and Ministers have no direct role in the process.
	Since 1997, 264 schools placed in the Ofsted special measures category have closed. In addition since 2005, 14 schools placed in the Ofsted inadequate category of requiring significant improvement have closed.

Secondary Education: Admissions

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what undertakings on school placements have been given to parents on Canvey Island following the decision to close Furtherwick school.

Jim Knight: School place planning is a local matter. Where changes are proposed, a statutory process must be followed.
	I understand that following a period of statutory consultation to address declining pupil numbers in Essex, Essex county council published a statutory proposal on 7 March 2007. The public notice stated that the following arrangements for pupils affected by the proposal to close Furtherwick Park School from 31 August 2011 would be made:
	Pupils currently attending Furtherwick Park School were to complete their education at the school;
	Pupils admitted to Year 7 in September 2007 were to spend all of key stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) at Furtherwick Park, but transfer onto the roll of Castle View School, or to other schools which have places available, in September 2010 for the remaining two years of their statutory education (Years 10 and 11);
	No new pupils are to be admitted to Furtherwick Park from 1 September 2008. To accommodate pupils who might otherwise have attended Furtherwick Park, Castle View School is to expand to admit up to 240 pupils from September 2008 into Year 7.
	Essex School Organisation Committee on 15 May 2007 approved the closure of Furtherwick Park School with effect from August 2011; an increase in the published admission number from 180 to 240 to Castle View School from 2008-09; and the enlargement and relocation of Castle View School from 904 to 1,200 places into new purpose built accommodation on the current Furtherwick Park School site with effect from September 2011.

Secondary Education: Teaching Methods

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans there are to introduce small group tuition into secondary schools.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 March 2008,  Official Report, column 113W.

Special Educational Needs

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children have special educational needs; and what forecasts there are for the likely percentage in future years.

Jim Knight: Details of the percentage of children with special educational needs (SEN) are set out in the Statistical First Release "Special Educational Needs in England, January 2007" which was published on 26 June 2007 and is available from:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000732/index.shtml
	In January 2007, 2.8 per cent. of pupils had a statement of SEN(1) and 16.4 per cent. of pupils had been identified as having special educational needs but without a statement(2). Figures based on the January 2008 school census will be published in due course.
	The Department has not made recent estimates of the percentage of children with special educational needs (SEN) entering primary and secondary education in forthcoming years. Previous estimates of the total numbers with SEN are now out of date and will be updated later this year. These should be available in the autumn.
	(1) Source: School Census. Published in table 1a of the Statistical First Release "Special Educational Needs in England, January 2007".
	(2 )Source: School Census. Published in table 1b of the Statistical First Release "Special Educational Needs in England, January 2007".

Specialised Diplomas

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1101W, on specialised diplomas, what estimate he has made of the cost of training teachers in preparation for the first teaching of diplomas in September 2008.

Jim Knight: In the financial year 2007-08, the Department has spent £2.63 million to provide face-to-face training for teachers in preparation for the first teaching of diplomas in September 2008.

Specialised Diplomas: Disadvantaged

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils are entitled to free school meals in each maintained school that will not be offering the full range of diplomas from  (a) September 2008 and  (b) September 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The vast majority of schools and colleges in England will offer some Diplomas from September 2009 with the support of local universities and employers. We therefore expect the number of maintained schools offering the full range of Diplomas to increase in line with the planned and phased roll out of Diplomas to 2011. All schools will be expected to play a full part in local consortia arrangements to offer all Diploma lines because the 14-19 Entitlement means that from 2013 every young person has the choice to pursue one of 17 Diplomas at an appropriate level for them, wherever they are in the country.
	No schools within the Diploma consortia arrangements will be offering the full range of Diplomas in 2008 or 2009 as the full range of Diplomas will not be available until 2011 when the final three Diplomas will be available for first teaching, bringing the total Diploma Lines of Learning to 17.

Teachers: Documents

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many documents were sent from his Department to head teachers of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools either in hard copy or via e-mail since 18 December 2007.

Jim Knight: It is departmental policy not to send documents to schools either in hard copy or via e-mail. In communications to schools via e-mail we provide links to documents that can be downloaded.
	We send a regular fortnightly e-mail to schools. There have been seven sent since 18 December 2007. On occasion it is necessary to send a bespoke e-mail containing an item of significant importance (or to schools falling within a particular category e.g. admission authorities). Four have been sent since 18 December 2007.

Teachers: Labour Turnover

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many qualified teachers left full-time teaching in London in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the number of qualified regular local authority maintained sector teachers who left full-time service in London Government office region in each year from 2000-01 to 2004-05, the latest year available at regional level. The numbers include teachers leaving service, retiring, entering part-time service or entering teaching service of any description outside of London.
	
		
			  Teachers leaving full-time regular local authority maintained sector( 1)  service in the London Government office region 
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05( 2) 
			 Out of full-time service in London(3) 5,550 5,360 5,300 4,530 3,990 
			 Retired 740 660 670 700 830 
			 Leavers to part-time service in London 1,120 1,390 1,240 1,300 1,410 
			 Total 7,400 7,410 7,200 6,530 6,230 
			 (1) Left full-time service in London but they may in service elsewhere or in other education sectors, (2) Provisional. Figures are available for 2005-06 at the national level but not for individual regions. (3) Excludes academies and CTCs.  Source: Database of Teacher Records.

Teachers: Primary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of primary school teachers joining the profession had a  (a) C,  (b) B,  (c) A and  (d) A* in (i) GCSE mathematics and (ii) GCSE English in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	All initial teacher training trainees are required to have at least a GGSE grade C in mathematics and English or their equivalent.

Teaching Methods

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 196W, on teaching methods, 
	(1)  how many secondary schools will have funding to support small group academic focused study support in 2009-10;
	(2)  what proportion of the money allocated to support the development of extended schools will be used to support small group academic focused study support.

Jim Knight: The provision of a varied menu of activities for children and young people, including study support, is part of the extended schools core offer, with the Government committed to every school delivering extended schools core offer by 2010. The Department has made a significant investment in extended schools, and will make available more than £1.3 billion over the next three years to support the establishment of inclusive and sustainable extended schools. Schools are free to use this funding to respond to the needs of children and their community which can include providing study support activity. As part of this funding, £84 million in 2009-10 and £83 million in 2010-11 is to support small group academic focused study support. The funding will be targeted at the most deprived secondary schools, and is expected to support small group academic focused study support in around a quarter of the over 3,000 secondary schools.

Truancy: Penalties

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many fixed penalty notices have been issued in relation to condoned absenteeism of pupils; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department began collecting data in September 2004 on the number of penalty notices issued by local authorities to parents in respect of the offence of failing to ensure their children's regular school attendance. Between 1 September 2004 to 31 December 2007, the data show that 35,229 parents were issued with penalty notices.

Unemployment

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) males aged between 16 and 64 years and  (b) females aged between 16 and 59 years were not in education, employment or training in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2005 and (iv) 2007.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK has a dynamic and flexible labour market with one of the highest employment rates of the G7 nations. Under this Government youth unemployment has fallen and we now have more 18 to 24-year-olds in employment and full time education compared to 1997.
	Government are not complacent and have set out how we will deliver an integrated employment and skills service that will include early skills screening of 18 to 24-year-olds, piloting of mandatory skills health cheeks and basic skills and job focused provision and new funding for a new adult advancement and careers service.
	The following table shows estimates from the Labour Force Survey for England for the second quarter of each year of the numbers and percentage not in education, employment or training (NEET).
	
		
			  Not in education, employment or training (NEET) by gender (England) 
			   Males aged 16( 1)  to 64  Females aged 16( 1)  to 64 
			  Q2 of each year  NEET  Total  Percentage  NEET  Total  Percentage 
			 1997 2,372,000 14,902,000 15.9 3,609,000 14,031,000 25.7 
			 2001 2,166,000 15,151,000 14.3 3,294,000 14,342,000 23.0 
			 2005 2,211,000 15,444,000 14.3 3,221,000 14,618,000 22.0 
			 2007 2,296,000 15,602,000 14.7 3,302,000 14,667,000 22.5 
			 (1) Lower age bound is based on academic age 16—that is those aged at least 16 on the previous 31 August and who will therefore have completed compulsory full-time education.  Source: Labour Force Survey Q2 (April to June) of each year

Vocational Education

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many 14 to 16 year olds spent time in a further education college studying for a vocational qualification in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: We estimate that around 95,000 students aged 14 to undertook practical and applied learning in further education colleges in 2006/07, but detailed information by type of qualification is not available.
	Information on students in further education colleges is collected by the LSC through the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). For 14 to 16-year-olds this information is not compulsory, so information from this will be incomplete. The ILR is a data return that is used primarily for funding purposes, but as 14 to 16-year-old provision is not directly funded by the LSC there has been no requirement for institutions to include details of 14 to 16-year-olds in ILR returns.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Arms Length Management Organisations: Finance

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the remaining Round 6 arms-length management organisations will be informed of the results of their bids for decent homes funding.

Iain Wright: 10 of the 15 local authorities under round six of the arms-length management organisation (ALMO) programme have been informed of the results of their bids for decent homes funding.
	Officials are in discussions with the remaining five authorities and expect to conclude those negotiations shortly.

Caravan Sites: Travelling People

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she plans to take on the absence of proposals from Kent county council for the provision of permanent gypsy sites.

Iain Wright: Local authorities in Kent have prepared Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessments which have been submitted to the South-East Regional Assembly for consideration as part of the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). The RSS will, in turn, inform the development of Development Plan Documents which will allocate specific sites to meet the identified need. Local planning authorities need not await the RSS to take steps to meet accommodation needs, and we expect authorities where there is clear and pressing need for accommodation to take such steps now.

Councillors: Allowances

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what requirements local authorities have to establish independent remuneration panels before increasing councillors' allowances above wage inflation; and what guidelines have been produced on  (a) the composition of such panels and  (b) how frequently they should report.

John Healey: Each local authority is required, under the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) England Regulations 2003 to set up and maintain an independent remuneration panel. The independent remuneration panel will make recommendations as it sees fit about the level of basic allowance for all members and the level of special responsibility allowances, and to whom they should be paid.
	Advice on establishing independent remuneration panels and their role is contained in Guidance on Members' Allowances for Local Authorities in England
	www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/153902

Departmental Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when her Department plans to publish its sustainable operations policy statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Communities and Local Government published its updated Sustainable Operations Policy Statement and more detailed Sustainable Operations Policy in February 2008. The statement is available on the Department's website.
	The Department's progress against delivery of the sustainable operations targets is reported annually by the Sustainable Development Commission.

Fire Services: Accidents

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many accidents there were involving fire engines on emergency calls in  (a) Castle Point constituency and  (b) Essex in each of the last five years.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 26 March 2008
	The number of fire appliance accidents in Essex, while on emergency calls, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Fire appliance accidents in Essex while on blue light: 2001-02 to 2005-06 
			   Number 
			 2001-02 76 
			 2002-03 80 
			 2003-04 n/a 
			 2004-05 70 
			 2005-06 79 
			 n/a = Not applicable.  Source: Annual returns to CLG. 
		
	
	Figures for Castle Point are not available separately.

First Time Buyers: Coastal Areas

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assistance her Department provides to local first-time buyers living in smaller coastal communities.

Iain Wright: The Government's low cost home ownership scheme HomeBuy2, introduced in April 2006 operates across England. It is open to social tenants, people on the waiting list (who would be a priority for a social rented home), key public sector workers through our Key Worker Living programme, and first time buyers prioritised for assistance by Regional Assemblies. It operates alongside the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes which enable eligible social tenants to purchase their rented home.
	The scheme includes three products: Open Market HomeBuy (shared equity), New Build HomeBuy (shared ownership) and Social HomeBuy. The First Time Buyers' Initiative scheme run by English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, is part of the New Build product. These schemes help purchasers get onto the housing ladder with shares from 25 per cent. As announced in the 2007 Budget, from April 2008, we are offering two new equity loans which will be available through the Government's shared equity scheme Open Market HomeBuy. The loans will improve affordability for purchasers and provide more choice in the mortgage which buyers can take out.
	As part of the Housing Green Paper we are increasing outputs of new affordable housing to at least 70,000 by 2010-11 which will include at least 25,000 new shared ownership and shared equity homes a year by 2010-11 mainly funded by the Housing Corporation.

Homebuy Scheme

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been sold or part-sold under Social Homebuy in each month since the commencement of the scheme.

Iain Wright: Social HomeBuy is a voluntary scheme, launched in April 2006, which enables tenants of participating local authorities and housing associations to buy a minimum 25 per cent. share in their rented home at discount. The scheme has been operating as a two year pilot until March 2008. The following table shows the number of sales in each month under the pilot scheme since its commencement.
	The 176 sales up to the end of February 2008 have arisen from about 20 of the initial participating landlords, most of whom joined the pilot in late 2006. Since April 2007 a second phase of landlords has joined the scheme and now 77 housing associations and 10 local authorities are offering Social HomeBuy to their tenants. As with normal home purchases, Social HomeBuy transactions can take several months to reach completion.
	
		
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			 April   
			 May  2 
			 June  5 
			 July  10 
			 August  13 
			 September  15 
			 October  22 
			 November  9 
			 December  16 
			 January  17 
			 February 18 20 
			 March 29  
		
	
	Social HomeBuy is just one of a range of products which help social tenants into home ownership. Since 1997 the Government have helped over 95,000 households (including social tenants, key workers and other first time buyers) on to the housing ladder through both shared ownership and shared equity schemes.

Homelessness: Newcastle Upon Tyne

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households were accepted as eligible for assistance for homelessness in Newcastle upon Tyne in each quarter from 1 January 2006; and how many households were in temporary accommodation from 1 January 2006.

Iain Wright: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level.
	Under the legislation, authorities have a duty to secure suitable accommodation for applicants accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need (or take steps to secure that accommodation does not cease to be available if the applicant is likely to become homeless within 28 days). These duties are referred to as the main homelessness duties, and applicants who are accepted as owed a main duty are referred to as homeless acceptances. Applicants who are eligible for assistance, but not owed a main duty (for example, because they are not in priority need), must be provided with advice and assistance in any attempts they make to secure accommodation for themselves; they are not recorded as homeless acceptances.
	An authority must secure suitable accommodation for an accepted household. If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority may secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available.
	Information on the number of applicants eligible for assistance (including a breakdown of those who are, and are not, accepted as owed a main duty) is published in our quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness, which also includes data on the number of households in temporary accommodation at the end of the quarter. The Supplementary Tables give figures for each local authority, including Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and are published on our website and placed in the Library each quarter. The latest release was published on 10 March 2008 and contains data for the period October to December 2007:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/714968
	Data for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, taken from the table for the period October to December 2007, are provided below, and give (1) the number of eligible households on which a decision was taken under the homelessness legislation (referred to as decisions) during the quarter, of which (2) the number that were accepted as owed a main duty (acceptances), and also (3) the number of households in temporary accommodation at the end of the quarter:
	
		
			  Decisions, acceptances and temporary accommodation- Newcastle-upon-Tyne, fourth quarter 2007 
			   Number 
			 (1) Number of eligible households on which a decision was taken under homelessness legislation (decisions), Q4 2007 205 
			 (2) Number of households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty (acceptances), Q4 2007 126 
			 (3) Number of households in temporary accommodation as at the end of the quarter (31 December 2007) 49 
			  Source: CLG Statutory Homelessness Statistical ReleaseSupplementary Table: Local authorities' action under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts: fourth quarter 2007 
		
	
	Supplementary tables for each quarter back to 2006 are also available on our website (from the following link) and in the Library.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/

Housing: Disabled

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were used by Tamworth Borough Council to house disabled people in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: Over the last five years, Tamworth borough council used 146 homes to house disabled people.

Housing: Disabled

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1996W, on housing: disabled, what the cost to the public purse has been following the settlement; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The details of the settlement are subject to a binding confidentiality agreement but as my previous answer stated, the Government are satisfied that it represented good value for money.
	As also stated in my previous answer the settlement negotiated by the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Legal Directorate at Communities and Local Government was approved by HM Treasury and counsel as an appropriate settlement representing value for money to the public purse having regard to: the chances of success; professional costs and other fees and expenses likely to be incurred; irrecoverable costs; the duration of proceedings and further delays to the delivery of public services.

Housing: Finance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of Government receipts from right to buy sales have been spent on housing in the last 10 years, broken down by type of housing.

Iain Wright: As I stated to my hon. Friend in my answer to him on 21 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 905-07W, receipts arising from Right to Buy (RTB) sales are interchangeable with all other capital receipts. Therefore, they are not hypothecated to any particular spending at any particular time. However, the Government have consistently invested more in housing than they have received in receipts.
	The following table shows total receipts arising from RTB sales as shown in my answer referred above. The Department does not collect how much of those receipts were set aside for debt repayment or paid to the Secretary of State, although it is known that 75 per cent. of these receipts are so treated after administrative, improvement and other costs are taken into account.
	The table also shows the overall capital sums invested in housing broken down into investment in council owned housing stock and investment through registered social landlords. The total is greater than the component parts set out as it includes, for the most part, local authority investment in private sector housing. The balance between the total investment figures provided and the sum of the council and registered social landlords figures relate to grants provided to the private sector such as housing market renewal and disabled facilities grant. The figures and this explanation on investment were provided in my answer to my hon. Friend on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 1140-41W.
	
		
			   Right to Buy (RTB) Receipts  Total CLG capital investment in housing  (a) council owned stock  (b) registered social landlords 
			 1997-98 890 1,894 909 727 
			 1998-99 911 2,098 1,135 732 
			 1999-2000 1,374 2,173 1,126 815 
			 2000-01 1,426 2,866 1,959 830 
			 2001-02 1,566 3,312 2,378 823 
			 2002-03 2,210 3,598 2,459 1,030 
			 2003-04 2,936 4,685 2,683 1,805 
			 2004-05 2,575 4,767 2,772 1,626 
			 2005-06 1,544 5,106 3,055 1,609 
			 2006-07 1,145 5,194 2,442 1,953

Housing: Low Incomes

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what plans her Department has for provision of affordable housing in  (a) Enfield and  (b) Greater London;
	(2)  what steps her Department is taking to help first-time buyers access affordable housing in the London Borough of Enfield.

Iain Wright: The London Plan, the Spatial Development Strategy for London, sets a target of 30,500 net additional homes per year up to 2016-17, which includes 395 for the London borough of Enfield. Of these additional homes, 50 per cent. London-wide should be affordable. As the London borough of Enfield's Unitary Development Plan affordable housing policy was not saved under the new planning system introduced by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the London Plan 50 per cent. affordable housing target is the default target in the borough.
	Of the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme 2008-11 budget of 8.4 billion, 3.3 billion will be spent in London. Initial national allocations for new schemes of 3.3 billion were announced in February, of these London received total allocations of 603 million of which around 86 million is for low cost home ownership. Of this Enfield will benefit from over 6m of investment in affordable housing. Rather than allocating all their resources at the start of the programme, the Corporation will be returning to the market at regular intervals to seek further bids for funding affordable housing.
	We are improving affordability for purchasers accessing the Government's HomeBuy schemes. From April this year two new equity loan products will be available through the Government's Open Market HomeBuy option. The loans provide first time buyers with more flexibility around the percentage of the value of their home which can be borrowedup to a maximum of 50 per cent.and more choice in the mortgage they can take out.
	In addition, in the Housing Corporation's 2008-11 Affordable Housing Programme we are improving affordability for purchasers of our New Build HomeBuy/shared ownership scheme through smaller shares and lower rents in the Housing Corporation's 2008-11 Affordable Housing programme.

Infrastructure Planning Commission

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications for development consent she estimates the proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission will deal with annually under  (a) the single commissioner and  (b) the panel Procedure.

John Healey: The Planning Bill Impact Assessment, published in November 2007, estimated that the Infrastructure Planning Commission would consider around 45 major infrastructure projects a year. In addition, the May 2007 Planning White Paper made clear that there would also be a larger number of less complex cases, such as works necessary to ensure the operational effectiveness and resilience of the electricity transmission and distribution network. We anticipate that only 30 applications would require the panel procedure; the remainder could be considered under the Single Commissioner procedure.

Infrastructure Planning Commission: Finance

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the likely costs for her Department of setting up the Infrastructure Planning Commission proposed in the Planning Bill.

John Healey: The Planning Bill Impact Assessment, published in November 2007, estimated that the one-off cost of setting up the Infrastructure Planning Commission would be 5 million.

Infrastructure Planning Commission: Finance

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the likely annual running costs of the Infrastructure Planning Commission proposed in the Planning Bill.

John Healey: As I stated when giving evidence to the Planning Bill Public Bill Committee, we estimate that the average annual cost of the Infrastructure Planning Commission will be 9.3 million per annum. This was set out in the Planning Bill Impact Assessment, published alongside the Planning Bill in November 2007.

Local Authorities: Foreign Workers

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department issues to local authorities on safeguarding public money when outsourcing services overseas; what  (a) financial and  (b) other restrictions there are on local authorities in undertaking such outsourcing; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: Subject to their legal duties, including the duty of best value and public procurement law, local authorities are responsible for taking their own procurement decisions. Public authorities are not able to exclude a company based in a European Union or World Trade Organisation Government Procurement Agreement signatory country on the basis that some of the work may be sourced overseas. The Department has not published guidance specific to the situation where councils choose to outsource services overseas.

Local Government Ombudsman

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what legislation governs the powers of the Local Government Ombudsman; what changes have been made to that legislation since enactment; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: The legislative framework for the Local Government Ombudsman is provided by Part III of the Local Government Act 1974. This has since been amended by a range of primary legislation to reflect changes in the organisations and local services which fall within the Ombudsman's jurisdiction. Most recently, Part 9 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 provided for the modernisation and clarification of the role and working practices of the Ombudsman.

Local Government: Reorganisation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of local government restructuring on the level of council reserves in councils facing restructuring or abolition prior to their restructuring or abolition.

John Healey: The proposals received by the Government included assessments by each of the proposing councils of the likely call on reserves. On the basis of our independent financial advisers' consideration of the proposals, we judge that creating the nine unitary councils we have decided to implement is likely to require an aggregate one-off call on reserves of less than 80 million which will allow savings of over 100 million annually to be realised.

Manton Community Alliance Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder: Finance

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from the public purse Manton Community Alliance neighbourhood management pathfinder received in each year since 2003; what percentage of such funding supported  (a) salaries and  (b) overheads in each year; and what proportion of the pathfinder's revenue such funding represented in each such year.

John Healey: holding answer 20 March 2008
	As a round two pathfinder, Manton NMP was allocated a maximum of 200,000 during stage two (2003-04) to support the development of their strategy. Manton NMP formally launched its strategy on 27 January 2005, moving to stage three, the implementation stage of the national pathfinder programme. They will receive a further 350,000 on average each year, for a maximum of seven years, subject to satisfactory performance.
	Since 2005 it has managed to attract over 400,000 of private funding to support regeneration activities in the locality. No private funding has been used to support either salaries or overheads for the scheme.
	Between January 2005 and March 2008 Manton Community Alliance have spent 59 per cent. of their total budget on staffing costs including salaries, on costs, insurances and other expenses in line with local government employment conditions. The breakdown for each financial year is as follows:
	January 2005 to March 2006: 56 per cent.
	April 2006 to March 2007: 59 per cent.
	April 2007 to March 2008: 62 per cent.
	Between January 2005 and March 2008 Manton Community Alliance have spent 17.1 per cent. of their total budget on overheads. The breakdown for each financial year translates is as follows:
	January 2005 to March 2006 19.4 per cent.
	April 2006 to March 2007: 16.2 per cent.
	April 2007 to March 2008: 15.6 per cent.

Members: Correspondence

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Woking dated 6 February, 27 February and 5 March 2008 on Mr. Graham Jones.

Parmjit Dhanda: I replied to the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Malins) on 20 March.

Minister for the East of England: Essex

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what issues the Minister for the East of England has worked on that apply directly to Essex since her appointment.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Minister for the East of England has worked on a number of region-wide issues that apply to directly to Essex since her appointment. She has been engaged with local area agreements; the Sub-National Review of Regeneration and Economic Development; the region's growth agenda; water supply; issues relating to coastal flooding and defences and she is also due to meet officials to discuss preparations for the Olympics in the east of England.
	She met with the previous chief executive of Thames Gateway, Judith Armitt, and attended the launch of the Thames Gateway Delivery Plan (held at the Docklands, London) in November and December last year.
	The Minister for the East of England also visited Thurrock in Essex on 25 February as both Minister for Equalities and Minister for the East of England. She visited the South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre and met with representatives from the local authority and the strategic health authority.
	She has also met with senior members and officers from Essex county council and Uttlesford council at a number of region-wide events and has been engaged with Essex media such as the  East Anglian Daily Times and the  Colchester Evening Gazette.

Minister for the East of England: Essex

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many times the Minister for the East of England has visited Essex since her appointment; and for what reasons.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Minister for the East of England visited Thurrock in Essex on 25 February as both Minister for Equalities and Minister for the East of England. She visited the South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre and met with representatives from the local authority and the strategic health authority.
	The Minister is also due to visit Thurrock in June to host a region-wide skills meeting and again in July to meet with the county council and other county partners to discuss their priorities.

Planning Permission: Flood Control

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications opposed by the Environment Agency on the basis of flood risk were subject to scrutiny by the Secretary of State in accordance with Planning Policy Statement 25 in  (a) 2006 and  (b) 2007; and what the (i) location and (ii) outcome of each application was.

Caroline Flint: Eleven planning applications were referred to the Secretary of State in 2007 under the Town and Country Planning (Flooding) (England) Direction. These were applications for major development in flood risk areas to which the Environment Agency had objected. Details are tabled as follows. Most of them have been referred back to the local planning authority for decision. This shows that the Direction is working as intended, because it requires the local planning authority, the applicant and the Environment Agency to explore ways in which to address the Environment Agency's concerns.
	The Secretary of State called-in and decided a further five planning applications during 2006 and 2007, not under the Direction, where flooding was a main issue. Details of these are included in the following table.
	
		
			   Application type/Location  Outcome 
			  Flooding Direction application  
			 2007 Ipswich, Suffolk Referred back to LPA for decision 
			  Greenwich, London Referred back to LPA for decision 
			  Burton on Trent, East Staffordshire Referred back to LPA for decision 
			  Worcester, Worcestershire Referred back to LPA for decision 
			  Maidenhead, Berkshire Called-in for decision by Secretary of State 
			  Weymouth, Dorset Referred back to LPA for decision 
			  Heybridge, Essex Referred back to LPA for decision 
			  Maidenhead, Berkshire Called-in for decision by Secretary of State 
			  Truro, Cornwall Referred back to LPA for decision 
			  Ipswich, Suffolk Called-in for decision by Secretary of State 
			  Southampton, Hampshire Called-in for decision by Secretary of State 
			
			  Called-in planning application  
			 2006 Egham, Surrey Planning permission granted 
			 2007 Crowle, North Lincolnshire Planning permission refused 
			  Germany Beck, York Planning permission granted 
			  Germany Beck, York Planning permission granted 
			  St. Austell, Cornwall Planning permission refused

Planning: Children in Care

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether she has considered amending planning guidance to ensure that private children's homes require planning permission before operating in former private residential properties;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on the regulation of private children's homes operating in residential properties;
	(3)  what representations she has received on private children's care homes which operate from residential properties;
	(4)  what representations she has received on the operation of private residential children's homes by the company Green Corns;
	(5)  whether she has had discussions with the Local Government Association on the regulation of private children's homes operating in residential properties.

Iain Wright: Amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 were made in 2005 following extensive consultation. The consultation process did not draw significant concerns regarding the status of children's homes in the Use Classes Order.
	Under existing planning regulations, the conversion of a residential dwelling to a children's home may require planning permission, depending on the characteristics of the proposed domestic arrangements and whether these are deemed to result in a material change of use. It is for each local planning authority to determine in the first instance, on a case-by-case basis, whether a material change of use is proposed and therefore whether planning permission is required.
	Under the Use Classes Order, a children's home may fall within the C2 Residential Institutions or C3 Dwelling Houses use class. Generally speaking, the conversion of a residential dwelling into a children's home which is considered to fall within the C2 use class would require planning permission, while a conversion to a children's home falling within C3 use class would not.
	The key test for whether a dwelling house used for non-family purposes should fall within the C3 Dwelling Houses use class is the concept of a single household. It would be difficult, in planning land-use terms, to differentiate between a dwelling house occupied by a group of young adults living together as a single household, from say a dwelling house used as a small children's home where the occupants live together as a single household.
	The single household concept provides more certainty over the planning position of small group homes (such as children's homes) which play a major role in the Government's community care policy. This policy is aimed at enabling people who need an element of care to live as normal lives as possible in touch with the community.
	The Department has received a small number of representations on this issue over the last year. One of these representations was from the hon. Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen), and contained correspondence from a constituent and a local planning authority. This representation referred to operation of private children's homes by the company Green Corns Ltd.
	The Department has not held any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families nor the Local Government Association on this matter.

Press

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost of the press offices of  (a) her Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies were in each year since 1996-97; what the cost was in each quarter since 1st April 2007; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department was established in 2006. The pay costs for the Department's press office in 2006-07 were 1,108,068.75.
	For costs of the press office in our predecessor department, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 July 2005,  Official Report, column 1772W, to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow).
	Information on agencies and non-departmental bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Southwest One

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if she will place in the Library a copy of the business case related to the provision of public services by single joint venture partnerships; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of forecast effects on costs of the procurement of local services by Southwest One, broken down by area of service provision;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of the effects on existing local services in Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council of the recent contract with Southwest One; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  how much was paid from the public purse to IBM  (a) prior to and  (b) in connection with the establishment of (i) the joint venture partnership in the South West and (ii) Southwest One.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department has not been involved in the process of developing the Southwest One partnership. The questions that you raise in relation to Southwest One are for Somerset county council and Taunton Deane borough council to answer. With respect to policy, we believe that councils can gain greater value for money through joint venture partnerships in some cases. Councils should, therefore, consider this as a potential option where appropriate.

Southwest One

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what contractual provisions on  (a) accountability,  (b) audit and  (c) assurance of value for money there are in the agreement between Taunton Deane Borough Council and South West One over the provision of public services; what contractual provisions there are in the agreement relating to the role of the Audit Commission; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  who is on the permanent board of Southwest One;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the effect on costs to the public purse of the contract with Southwest One in each of the next five years, broken down by public sector client;
	(4)  what her policy is on the provision of  (a) further public services and  (b) public services to further public sector clients by Southwest One beyond the borders of the South West Regional Development Agency; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  what the cost of the contract for the provision of services by Southwest One has been to date; how much has been allocated for such provision in each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement;
	(6)  what estimate she has made of the effect on costs to the public purse of the contract with Southwest One in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09; and if she will make a statement;
	(7)  what process was followed in appointing IBM as preferred bidder to join Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane Borough Council in establishing the joint venture partnership Southwest One; what her role was in this process; and if she will make a statement;
	(8)  if she will make a statement on the future of public service provision by Southwest One; and what her policy is on the outsourcing of local services to joint venture partnerships.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department has not been involved in the process of developing the Southwest One partnership. The questions that you raise in relation to Southwest One are for Somerset county council and Taunton Deane borough council to answer.
	With respect to policy, we believe that councils can gain greater value for money through joint venture partnerships in some cases. Councils should, therefore, consider this as a potential option where appropriate.

Southwest One

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions took place with  (a) the South West Regional Development Agency and  (b) the Government Office of the South West prior to the contract with Southwest One for the provision of public services being finalised.

Parmjit Dhanda: As part of their normal interaction with Somerset county council and Taunton Deane borough council, the South West of England Regional Development Agency and the Government office for the south-west were both aware of the developing proposals for Southwest One, but they had no formal discussions with either the local authorities concerned or the Department about it.